At least 22 people have been killed as Storm John moves away over Mexico

Residents of southwest Mexico had to leave their homes on Saturday because they were flooded by the remains of Hurricane John, which hit the Pacific coast a week ago and killed 22 people in floods and landslides.

In Guerrero, one of Mexico’s poorest and worst-hit states, 18 people were killed, many by mudslides that destroyed homes. The south had three deaths recorded by local media, and the north had a boy drown in a river in Michoacán state.

John quickly got stronger on Monday, turning into a major storm before hitting Guerrero. As it moved away, it reorganized off the coast and continued to move north along the coast for the rest of the week, bringing heavy rain and flooding.

After starting to weaken on Friday, John is no longer considered a dangerous storm.

On X, Guerrero state governor Evelyn Salgado posted pictures of rescue workers in the popular vacation city of Acapulco using boats, jet skis, and helicopters to help people in need, while people waded through water-filled roads up to their waists.

The airport’s entry was restored on Saturday morning, according to Salgado.

Citizens with small children who fled flooded neighborhoods on dinghies and surfboards asked the officials for help because the city was still recovering from a terrible storm in 2023 and was now facing its second disaster in less than a year.

As a Category 5 storm, Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco in October of last year. It quickly got stronger off the coast, killing over 50 people and damaging property worth billions of dollars. It rained almost three times as much because of John as it did because of Otis.

“There is a lot of water now,” neighbor Jazmin Barrera told UnoTV. “It’s been Monday since we saw the sun.” “I believe this time has been more damaging.”

Later on Saturday, heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected in Guerrero and parts of Oaxaca. However, reports from Acapulco say the floods are starting to recede.

According to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, food is being sent to shelters and kitchens that have been set up. “Fortunately, the water is now receding and aid to the victims will continue.”

According to meteorologists, warmer ocean temperatures are making storms stronger faster, giving people along the coast less time to get ready for their impact.