The death toll rose to 47 yesterday from the unusual one-two punch of a tropical storm and a hurricane hitting Mexico at nearly the same time. Authorities scrambled to get help into, and stranded tourists out of, Acapulco.
With roads blocked by landslides, floods and collapsed bridges, Acapulco was cut off by road after Tropical Storm Manuel made landfall on Monday.
Emergency flights began arriving to evacuate at least 40,000 mainly Mexican tourists stranded in the resort city.
Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told Radio Formula that 27 people had died because of the storm in the state of Guerrero, where Acapulco is located. Osorio Chong said 20 more people died nationwide, many as a result of hurricane Ingrid, which hit on Tuesday.
- AP
