At least 44 people dead after torrential rains in Mexico

At least 44 people were killed in Mexico after days of heavy rains and flooding, the government said on Sunday.

Torrential rains from tropical storms Priscilla and Raymond triggered landslides and flooding across five states.

There were 18 people killed in Veracruz state, 16 in Hidalgo, nine in Puebla and one in Queretaro, a government statement said.

The government of President Claudia Sheinbaum was managing a response plan to support 139 affected towns.

Photos posted by the Mexican military showed people being evacuated by soldiers using life rafts, homes that were flooded with mud and rescue workers trudging through waist-height waters through town streets.

"We continue with attention to the emergency in Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, Queretaro, and San Luis Potosí, in coordination with the governor and the governors, as well as various federal authorities. The National Emergency Committee is in permanent session," Sheinbaum said on X.