MEXICO CITY

Mexican authorities updated the death toll to 72 on Friday, with 48 people still missing, following devastating floods that struck eastern and central parts of the country last week.

Veracruz, located on the eastern coast, remains the most severely affected, reporting 32 deaths and multiple communities still in ruins. Hidalgo, which borders Veracruz, has the second-highest number of casualties at 21. Puebla reported 18 fatalities, while Querétaro registered one death.

Located along the Gulf of Mexico, Veracruz faces high risk of natural disasters. According to Gov. Rocío Nahle, three municipalities and 37 communities in the state remain cut off.

Fifty temporary shelters have been set up in the northern part of the state, currently housing 4,768 people. Authorities have also distributed 58,288 aid packages to affected communities.

But the state of Hidalgo has the highest number of isolated communities, with 77 still inaccessible. There were 288 communities without communication as of Monday; authorities have since reconnected with 161.

Across the five affected states, over 375 heavy machinery units and approximately 4,500 workers have been deployed, in addition to military and navy personnel. In total, nearly 9,000 personnel are involved in emergency and reconstruction efforts, supported by nearly 1,000 machines.

President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to visit the affected areas this weekend, with the exception of San Luis Potosí and Querétaro, which she said are no longer in a state of emergency.