MEXICO CITY - Heavy rains and flooding from a series of storms have killed around 30 people in Mexico and left thousands homeless in coastal areas in the past week, with more rain forecast for the weekend.
Rains from Tropical Storm Jose, the 10th of the season, drenched Mexico's Gulf coast early in the week, forcing some 25,000 people from their homes in Veracruz state.
Seven people were killed in a landslide in a mountainous region of the state, and four died as rivers overflowed their banks in lower-lying areas, officials said on Thursday.
On the Pacific coast, five people died in Michoacan state when they were swept away by waters from the Aguililla river amid intense rains on Wednesday.
Another four were still missing in the area on Thursday and some 200 had suffered flood damages.
In the southern state of Oaxaca, which also has Pacific coastline, 12 deaths were blamed on flooding related to the passage of Jose and other Pacific storms, including eight passengers riding in a truck when it was swept away by flood waters.
"We are facing a very active season in terms of rains and tropical cyclones," said Carmen Segura, director of the national civil protection agency.
Earlier this month, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami said the bulk of this Atlantic hurricane season's storms were still to come.
The storm season began May 15 in the Pacific and June 1 in the Gulf and ends on Nov. 30 in both regions.
One man reportedly died after being struck by lightning on the northern Pacific coast. Rain has damaged plantain, corn, bean, watermelon, vanilla and other crops, especially in Veracruz.
Civil protection authorities said coffee production in the state was not badly affected.
(With reporting by Rebeca Romero in Oaxaca)
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