Prolonged and heavy rainstorms over more than a week have caused seven rivers in the Mexican state of Tabasco to swell, flooding 70% of the land area of this Gulf coast state. It is thought that 100% of crops will be lost. Estimates vary as to the number of fatalities so far, but numbers are small. At the onset of the storms last week, 23 died in an oil rig collision. The state was similarly affected, though not as severly, by unprecendented rainfall in the summer of 1999 (further details at http://www.fas.usda.gov/pecad2/highlights/99-10/fsa101499.htm).The image is copyright of BBC News.
