MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – A new storm system, which bore down on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast and nearby Guatemala on Tuesday night, is expected to move inland on Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The tropical depression, dubbed Eleven-E as it is not yet a named storm, would likely strengthen to tropical storm strength overnight, threatening fresh flooding and landslides, the NHC said. The area recently saw devastating rainfall.
Last week, Hurricane John and its remnants dumped massive amounts of rain over a large swathe of Mexico’s southwestern coast, triggering deadly mudslides that led to at least 22 deaths.
The Miami-based forecaster said the tropical depression is located about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of the major Mexican port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca state. The port is home to a major oil refinery operated by national oil company Pemex.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment after its business hours.
The storm system is expected to produce between 4 inches and 12 inches (10 cm and 30 cm) of rain across several southern Mexican states, as well as along a stretch of western Guatemala, the NHC said.