Hurricane Grace Wrecks Havoc in Veracruz with Deadly Toll
Category 3 Hurricane Slams Veracruz Coast
Hurricane Grace, packing winds up to 125 mph (201 km/h), tore into the Veracruz coast near the resort town of Tecolutla. The Category 3 storm left a trail of destruction and claimed eight lives, including six from one family, officials confirmed. Veracruz Governor Kutlahuac Garcia revealed that most victims were in the state capital, Jalapa, where flooding turned streets into waterways and brought chaos.
Devastation and Deaths Mount as Rivers Overflow
Terrifying scenes played out as the Octopus River burst its banks, flooding highways and streets in Jalapa. Local businesses were submerged with coffins floating in the waterlogged town. A roof collapse in Poza Rica killed an adult, adding to the grim death toll. Garcia warned the emergency is far from over as more rivers threaten to flood.
“It’s not the dimensions that destroy everything. It’s really sad. Things are really bad,” said devastated Tecolutla housewife Erica Herrera, as she broke down describing the damage.
Power Outages and Flight Disruptions Hit Region
Grace’s battering caused blackouts affecting over 565,000 people, according to the national power utility, CFE. Mexico City International Airport cancelled some flights due to the storm. Meanwhile, Pemex’s oil refinery operations at Francisco Madero and Lazaro Cardenas remain monitored as floodwaters rise near key installations.
Storm Weakens Inland, But Danger Lingers
As Grace pushed into Mexico’s mountainous interior, winds dropped to 25 mph (35 km/h) but heavy rain still threatens central regions. The National Hurricane Center predicts up to 18 inches (45 cm) of rain through Sunday, sparking fears of flooding and urban storms in Veracruz, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas and Hidalgo.
Before landfall, President Andres Manuel Lopez urged residents in vulnerable states to seek higher ground and shelters, a call many heeded. Grace last hit the Caribbean earlier this week, causing widespread outages but no fatalities before slamming the Veracruz coast.
