Path of the hurricane at risk of floods and mudslides

While Mexico’s western coast appears to have been spared the worst from the record-breaking winds of Hurricane Patricia, the US National Hurricane Center is still predicting great volumes of rain—up to 20 inches in some areas—as the storm makes its way across the country.

“These rains are likely to produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” said the hurricane center in an advisory on Saturday.

Emergency responders are also concerned about the effects of the storm on ash deposited by the Colima volcano, which together with heavy rain could trigger mudflows.

Oxfam has deployed a rapid-assessment team to survey the damage in hard-hit areas of Jalisco and Colima.

“First and foremost we want to make sure people have clean water and safe sanitation,” said Ricard Fuentes-Nieva, executive director of Oxfam Mexico.  “These are our immediate priorities.”