Food and Water Scarce; Many Homes in Ruins

Nov 05, 06:54 AM

Current Headlines: By IOAN GRILLO

By Ioan Grillo

The Associated Press

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico

Residents began running perilously short of food and water in Mexico's southern Gulf coast Sunday after a week of devastating floods that destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes .

Authorities said two more bodies were found Sunday . If confirmed the deaths were caused by the flooding, the disaster's toll would stand at 10.

"We are seeing one of the worst natural catastrophes in the history of the country," President Felipe Calderon said . "Not only because of the size of the area affected, but because of the number of people affected."

Since rivers first began to burst their banks Oct. 28, the homes of an estimated half a million people have been damaged or destroyed, and at least that many more people have been affected by severed utilities and transportation corridors, according to the government. In neighboring Chiapas state, four bridges and 180 miles of roads were washed out.

"People are fighting over food and water, and the lack of electricity and running water are making life in the city impossible," said Martha Lilia Lopez, who has been handing out food to victims on behalf of a nonprofit .

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