MEXICO, Sept 26 (Alliance News) – Towns along Mexico’s southwestern coast are grappling with torrential rain, flooding, and landslides after Tropical Storm John strengthened back into a Category 1 hurricane on Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Dubbed a “zombie” storm, John had initially dissipated after making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Monday night, only to re-emerge, battering Mexico’s Pacific coast. The storm’s remnants continued to move along the coast, bringing relentless rainfall.
In Acapulco, already struggling from last year’s Hurricane Otis, neighborhoods are flooded, and residents in vulnerable areas have been evacuated. The city has received over 500 mm of rain this week, with 431 mm falling in the last 24 hours alone. A viral video shows a taxi being swept away by floodwaters before authorities rescued the passengers.
Emergency workers have been deployed with rafts and boats to rescue stranded residents, according to Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado Pineda. The Acapulco airport has suspended operations, and schools in the state are closed until further notice.
Rural areas around Acapulco have reported temporary power outages and market closures, with residents concerned about food shortages. The Mexican National Water Commission warns that the storm will continue to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and high waves to the region.
Hurricane John, located 120 km west of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, is expected to drop 10 to 20 inches of rain in Guerrero and Michoacán by Friday, with additional rainfall in Colima and Oaxaca.
