Authorities worked overnight into Tuesday to clear highways blocked by mudslides along Mexico’s southern coast as Tropical Storm Agatha barrelled down on the country, bringing torrential rains and strong winds.
Agatha made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane on Monday afternoon, touching down with 105 miles per hour winds (169 kilometres per hour) near the beach town of Puerto Angel on the Pacific coast.
Rain caused mud and rocks to slide into two highways in Oaxaca, blocking access to at least one area of the state, local authorities said. Mexico’s transportation ministry was working to clear the roads late on Monday evening.
Agatha is expected to drop a total of 10 to 16 inches (25-41 centimetres) of rain on Oaxaca, with heavy downpours in nearby states of Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco and eastern Guerrero, the NHC said.