Rescuers Tuesday were searching for survivors of a mudslide that buried a village of 100 houses in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, the latest disaster in the region as the bordering state of Tabasco struggles with hunger and devastation from week-long floods.
At least 16 people are missing after the mudslide, according the Mexican Interior Ministry, though the number of survivors still looking for relatives in the town of Juan de Grijalba has indicated as many as 70 missing, at least 20 injured and many dead. Some 500 people live in the affected area.
Chiapas Governor Juan Jose Sabines described Monday night's events as a "minor tsunami" after collapsed ground fell into the river Grijalva, raising the water level 70 metres and sparking a major wave of slime and debris that overran the village.
The disaster was the latest to strike the water-sodden region on Mexico's southern Gulf coast, where thousands of people remained stranded by flood waters and more than 800,000 have been left homeless.
Those isolated from other regions on Tuesday clamoured for fresh food and water supplies and battled the spread of disease. Many have not had food or fresh water for days.
More than a week of heavy rains has flooded 80 per cent of the state of Tabasco and at least 22 municipalities in Chiapas. The floods have been blamed for five deaths.
Tabasco Governor Andres Granier on Monday declared the centre of the Mexican city of Villahermosa, capital of the state of Tabasco, off-limits in an attempt to prevent looting. Plunderers had already hit private homes and shops and authorities feared the situation could worsen as the water levels fall.
Federal and state authorities, including Mexican Interior Minister Francisco Ramirez Acuna and Chiapas Governor Sabines, travelled to the area affected by the mudslide.
The water level has been slowly falling since Sunday. Thousands continued to take part in rescue efforts from boats and helicopters. Authorities expected it would take as least two weeks for the water levels to subside.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who again visited the region on Sunday, announced a broad assistance package and has called off plans to attend an Iberian-American summit in Chile later this week, while Mexico has also turned to foreign governments for aid.
More than 800,000 dollars have been pledged by the United States, Germany and Belgium. Aid agencies the Red Cross and Red Crescent committed some 170,000 dollars to help Mexico and called for further donations.
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