At Least 80 Dead in Mexico as Storms Cause Flooding and Looting

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Reuters

An aerial view of a flooded neighbourhood is seen in Acapulco, Sept. 17, 2013.

At least 80 people have died as two powerful storms continue to pound Mexico, stranding tens of thousands of people and affecting more than a million.

In the Pacific port city of Acapulco, where flood waters have stranded some 40,000 tourists and wreaked havoc in the city streets, looters have been stealing everything from televisions to Christmas decorations from retail operations. Marines have been posted outside some stores in the city, which was also Mexico’s murder capital last year.

The storms, Ingrid and Manuel, converged on Mexico from both coasts, dropping torrential rain and causing flash floods. Manuel became a hurricane late Wednesday and could dump as much 15 more inches of rain as it pushes north along Mexico’s northwestern coast.

[Reuters]