Pichucalco, Chiapas — More than a thousand Chiapas residents were left displaced and in ruins after the passing of Tropical Storm Karl. At least one person died. A 65-year-old man died in a hospital after being rescued from his home after a stream overflowed.
Civil Protection of Chiapas reported thousands were evacuated around the state due to heavy rains, flooding and landslides with the passing of Karl. Flooding up to three meters was reported in areas near El Cristo river when it overflowed.
The Magdalena River also became swollen, causing flooding that resulted in the evacuation of at least 35 families. The heavy rains damaged a section of the Pichucalco-Juárez highway that caused the collapse of the Ciudad Rural Ostuacán-Sayul bridge and the Sunuapa bridge over the Platanar River.
According to provisional figures from Mexico’s meteorological agency Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN), the municipality of Pichucalco in Chiapas recorded 342.4 mm of rain in 24 hours. Camoapa in Tabasco recorded 387.9 mm of rain during the same period.
Tropical Storm Karl redeveloped Friday after it became Hurricane Julia last week. After crossing Nicaragua as a Category 1 hurricane, Julia lost power and was downgraded to a depression but gained strength after reaching water for a second time.
