Mexico faces potential floods as Tropical Depression Eleven-E strengthens

A woman walks past debris in the aftermath of Storm John, in Acapulco, Mexico October 2, 2024. Henry Romero

More heavy rain is set to batter Mexico's southern coast as Tropical Depression Eleven-E strengthens, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday, warning of potential flooding and mudslides in areas already soaked by recent storms.

The depression was located about 90 miles (150 km) southeast of Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, moving northeast at 2 mph (4 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph), the NHC said.

It is forecast to make landfall late on Thursday or early Friday in southern Mexico, with a tropical storm warning in effect throughout parts of the coast.

The NHC warned that the storm could dump between 4 to 8 inches (10 - 20 cm) of rain, with isolated areas receiving up to 12 inches (30 cm), across parts of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Tabasco, and coastal Guerrero.

Rainfall could trigger life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in the region, which has already seen heavy rains in recent weeks.

Last week, Hurricane John dumped massive amounts of rain over some of the same areas, causing mudslides and at least 22 deaths.

-Reuters