Status: 08/21/2021 8:37 p.m.
More than half a million people without electricity, several dead, flooded streets and uprooted trees – the tropical storm “Grace” left a trail of devastation in eastern Mexico. There is still no all-clear.
The tropical storm “Grace” caused floods and power outages in eastern Mexico. In almost two dozen towns in the state of Veracruz, trees have been uprooted, power poles toppled and streets flooded, said Governor Cuitláhuac García Jiménez. Eight people died, six of them were from families, the authorities said.
More than half a million people were temporarily cut off from the power supply, said the utility company CFE. Several flights to Veracruz, Tampico, Reynosa, Culiacan and Huatulco were canceled because of the storm.
Warning of heavy rain and landslides
“Grace” hit the Mexican Gulf coast as a hurricane and then quickly lost its force overland. However, the weather service forecast heavy rain for large parts of the country and warned of landslides and floods. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called on residents of the particularly affected areas to be careful. “The state of emergency is not over,” said Veracruz State Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia.
“Grace” also hit the earthquake devastated regions of Haiti on its way through the Caribbean. “Grace” had caused damage and extensive power outages on the Yucatán Peninsula, which is popular with holidaymakers.