Floods in hospital kill 17 in central Mexico

MEXICO CITY - Floods killed 17 patients in a hospital following heavy rains in Tula, a city in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo, authorities said Tuesday.

Rains starting on Monday afternoon in Hidalgo caused the area's Tula River to overflow, disrupting vital services and flooding the General Hospital of Zone No 5 of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).

"We have, unfortunately, 17 deaths," Governor of Hidalgo Omar Fayad told the press.

According to reports, 15 of the deceased had COVID-19 and died because "the hospital was flooded and was left without power, and unfortunately they were on respiratory support."

The other two victims arrived at the hospital without vital signs and they also had COVID-19, he said.

The hospital was one of the five hardest-hit buildings in Tula, where floodwaters reached as high as a meter.

As the power supply collapsed citywide, power generators at the flooded hospital also failed.

When the facility was flooded, there were 104 hospital staff members and 56 patients in the building, about half of whom were infected with COVID-19.

"Such a tragic situation due to rainfall in Tula had not occurred in 40 years. We are doing everything necessary to support citizens. The most important thing is to save lives," the governor said on Twitter.

Fayad called on the population living near the Tula River to evacuate and go to temporary shelters, because if the rains continue, "it can get worse."

During his morning press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stressed the implementation of the army's so-called DN-III plan to help flood victims.