Heavy rains have flooded different neighbourhoods of Culiacan in the last hours and left 3,000 people homeless.
Camera IconHeavy rains have flooded different neighbourhoods of Culiacan in the last hours and left 3,000 people homeless. Credit: AFP, Rashide Frias/AFP

Floods sweep people and cars away after torrential rains in Mexico

APNews Corp Australia Network

MORE than 3000 people have taken refuge at temporary shelters in Sinaloa after floods ravaged the Mexican state on the Gulf of California.

The Mexican Interior Ministry said on Saturday (local time) that 29 shelters have been set up in Sinaloa, and that electricity has been restored to nearly all the 59,328 users who lost power after a tropical storm moved in on Thursday.

The storm dumped as much as 36 centimetres of rain in just 24 hours.

A flooded street in Culiacan, Sinaloa State, Mexico on September 20, 2018. more than 3,000 have taken refuge in shelters.
Camera IconA flooded street in Culiacan, Sinaloa State, Mexico on September 20, 2018. more than 3,000 have taken refuge in shelters. Credit: AFP

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Video on social media showed flood waters rushing into retail establishments and carrying vehicles off in swift currents.

Sinaloa state Attorney-General Juan Jose Rios Estavillo has confirmed that one person drowned while two more were killed by electrocution.

Three women have been reported missing in the state capital of Culiacan after presumably being swept away.

Originally published as Thousands stranded in Mexico floods