RAIN-TRIGGERED MUDSLIDE BURIES HUNDREDS IN SANTA

MARIA TLAHUITOLTEPEC, STATE OF OAXACA, MEXICO

A PRELIMINARY REPORT

SEPTEMBER, 28, 2010

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

LOCATION

LOCATION

ATLANTIC BASIN TROPICAL STORMS AND HURRICANES: 2010

• Gaston Sept 1

• Hermine Sept 6

• Igor (H) Sept 8

• Julia (H) Sept 12

• Karl (H) Sept 14

• Lisa (H) Sept 20

• Matthew Sept 24

TROPICAL STORM KARL: SEPT 14-17, 2010

FLOODING FROM KARL: NORTH OF VERACRUZ; SEPT 18

TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW: SEPT 24, 2010

During 2010, Oaxaca and some other parts of Mexico

have endured their worst rainy season on record, with

heavy flooding and mudslides forcing

thousands from their homes.

Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, famous for its colonial

buildings and archaeological sites, is the heartland of the

indigenous Mixe culture, which is considered one of

Mexico's poorest.

A VIEW OF THE LANDSLIDE

A VIEW OF THE LANDSLIDE

The slide dragged several houses some 400 m down the hillside along with cars, livestock and

light poles.

It is not yet clear how many homes were damaged or buried

in the slide and how many deaths.

Bad weather and roads damaged by earlier

mudslides kept emergency rescue teams from reaching the residents of Santa Maria

Tlahuitoltepec

The landslide, triggered by heavy rain fall from Hurricane Karl and tropical storm Matthew, buried

hundreds in Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec, MX, around 4 am as

they slept.

Matthew moved northward towards Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula with heavy rain

fall.