Mexico Reels from Dual Storms: Hurricane Simon and Tropical Storm Rachel Claim Lives and Cause Widespread Flooding

At least two individuals have lost their lives in Mexico as Hurricane Simon and the former tropical storm Rachel unleashed torrential rain and devastating floods across Pacific coast communities. During a press briefing on Monday, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed the death of a 71-year-old man due to Hurricane Simon when a retaining wall collapsed under the immense pressure of heavy rainfall. The man, identified by his family as Albino Moreno Jimenez, was reportedly feeding his animals on the western outskirts of Chilpancingo when the wall gave way, according to the Guerrero-based news agency IRZA. A second fatality was reported later the same day in the state of Baja California, located along Mexico’s western coastline. Governor Marina del Pilar announced that a young girl succumbed to the impacts of what was once Hurricane Rachel, a storm that had reached Category 3 strength in early October. Governor del Pilar also stated that at least 10 more people are currently missing in Baja California, with eight reported missing in the coastal city of Ensenada and two in the fishing town of San Felipe on the Gulf of California. These figures are preliminary, as the local newspaper La Jornada has reported a higher toll, with two deaths in Baja California and 11 individuals missing.

Rachel made landfall in the Mexican state as a post-tropical cyclone, and its remnants have since moved northward into southern California in the southwestern United States. Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon has been churning off the Mexican coast since the weekend. By late Monday morning, it had weakened from a Category 4 storm to a Category 2. The US National Hurricane Center reported that its maximum sustained winds had slightly decreased to approximately 155 km/h (100 mph). The storm's center was situated about 115 km west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes, a cape in the state of Jalisco, and was drifting westward at 3 km/h. Forecasters anticipate that Simon could make landfall on Thursday or Friday. Hurricane warnings remain in effect for western Mexico, a region particularly susceptible to landslides and dangerous surf conditions as a consequence of the storm. Experts caution that the death toll from both storms is expected to rise, and officials are urging residents to exercise extreme caution amidst the destruction caused by downed trees, high winds, and floodwaters.

The Spanish newspaper El Pais reported the death of a cliff diver, Juan Patines, in Mazatlan, located in the northwestern state of Sinaloa. Patines reportedly died after jumping into the sea on Saturday night, with Mexican media suggesting that the heavy surf, associated with Hurricane Simon, hindered his ability to return to shore amidst hazardous coastal conditions. Local authorities have since suspended cliff-diving activities at the site due to the dangerous sea conditions. Officials have not yet officially confirmed if Patines' death is directly linked to Hurricane Simon.

Rachel and Simon have significantly impacted Mexico’s western coast, contributing to an extraordinary period of hurricane activity in the Pacific. The northeastern and central Pacific Ocean have experienced a record-breaking storm season this year, partly attributed to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which causes warming waters in certain parts of the region. A total of 21 named storms have been recorded in the Pacific so far. On Sunday, Simon pushed the region to a historic high for accumulated cyclone energy (ACE), a measure of the combined strength and duration of tropical storms, surpassing the previous record set in 2018. The US island chain of Hawaii has also been severely affected. In August, Hurricane Lala caused extensive flooding on Hawaii’s Big Island as a Category 1 storm, resulting in the death of a 93-year-old woman and the destruction of approximately 100 homes, according to state officials. Weeks later, Hurricane Lowell, which peaked as a Category 4 hurricane, struck the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Niihau, where powerful winds, storm surge, and flooding inundated towns and roads. Roughly 90 percent of Kauai's power customers lost electricity. At least two deaths were attributed to Lowell. In late September, Hurricane Nolo brought another wave of flooding and landslides to the Hawaiian islands, although it did not make landfall.