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| Race to save Mexico flood victims | Race to save Mexico flood victims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A massive rescue operation is under way in the southern Mexican state of Tabasco after rains caused the worst flooding there in more than 50 years. | A massive rescue operation is under way in the southern Mexican state of Tabasco after rains caused the worst flooding there in more than 50 years. |
| More than one million people are believed to be affected by the floods, and some 300,000 are thought to be trapped in their homes. | More than one million people are believed to be affected by the floods, and some 300,000 are thought to be trapped in their homes. |
| Most of the state is under water and its governor has urged anyone who owns a boat to help the rescue operation. | Most of the state is under water and its governor has urged anyone who owns a boat to help the rescue operation. |
| President Felipe Calderon said the situation was "extraordinarily grave". | President Felipe Calderon said the situation was "extraordinarily grave". |
| People are frantic, families are split up everyone is searching for someone. Mark Pius CharltonVillahermosa class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7074323.stm">Your flood accounts "It's one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country," he said in a televised address on Thursday night. | |
| Rescuers are using helicopters to try to pluck people from rooftops. Thousands of people are huddled inside their homes or emergency shelters. | |
| The floods were triggered by storms that crippled Mexico's oil industry. | The floods were triggered by storms that crippled Mexico's oil industry. |
| 'Just like New Orleans' | 'Just like New Orleans' |
| Tabasco Governor Andres Granier said more than half of the state's 2.1 million residents had been affected. | Tabasco Governor Andres Granier said more than half of the state's 2.1 million residents had been affected. |
| "We have lost 100% of our crops and 70% of the state is under water," he told reporters. | "We have lost 100% of our crops and 70% of the state is under water," he told reporters. |
| "We are just like New Orleans. All the water that comes in has to be pumped out." | "We are just like New Orleans. All the water that comes in has to be pumped out." |
| So far, one person is known to have died in the floods. | So far, one person is known to have died in the floods. |
| The BBC's Andy Gallacher in the region says it is the humanitarian crisis that now concerns the Mexican authorities. | The BBC's Andy Gallacher in the region says it is the humanitarian crisis that now concerns the Mexican authorities. |
| Tabasco's capital, Villahermosa, and many other towns in the state have been turned into brown lakes with only treetops and roofs visible. | Tabasco's capital, Villahermosa, and many other towns in the state have been turned into brown lakes with only treetops and roofs visible. |
| Soldiers and rescuers desperately stacked sandbags along Villahermosa's streets. | Soldiers and rescuers desperately stacked sandbags along Villahermosa's streets. |
| Sandbags were also placed around several giant heads carved by the Olmecs, an ancient pre-Columbian people, at Tabasco's La Venta archaeological site. | Sandbags were also placed around several giant heads carved by the Olmecs, an ancient pre-Columbian people, at Tabasco's La Venta archaeological site. |
| Oil industry woes | Oil industry woes |
| President Calderon has flown to the area and is promising more soldiers and aid. | President Calderon has flown to the area and is promising more soldiers and aid. |
| In pictures: Tabasco floods | In pictures: Tabasco floods |
| The state has been placed on high alert. | The state has been placed on high alert. |
| An organiser for the Red Cross in Mexico City, Gustave Medinas, said many private citizens were bringing donations ranging from milk to articles of personal hygiene. | An organiser for the Red Cross in Mexico City, Gustave Medinas, said many private citizens were bringing donations ranging from milk to articles of personal hygiene. |
| "The aid has been sent by helicopters, by Red Cross vans, and then by boat," he told the BBC's World Today programme. | "The aid has been sent by helicopters, by Red Cross vans, and then by boat," he told the BBC's World Today programme. |
| "With the help that we are sending, and the co-operation of all the people who are bringing aid, and with the army, we think that we can manage." | |
| Twenty-one people died last week when storms forced an oil platform into another rig in the Gulf of Mexico. | Twenty-one people died last week when storms forced an oil platform into another rig in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Dozens of workers had to leap into the water. | Dozens of workers had to leap into the water. |
| The storms have forced the closure of three of Mexico's main oil ports, preventing almost all exports and halting a fifth of the country's oil production. | The storms have forced the closure of three of Mexico's main oil ports, preventing almost all exports and halting a fifth of the country's oil production. |
| Flooding has also affected the southern state of Chiapas, where several thousand people have been moved to safety, Mexico's El Universal newspaper reports. | Flooding has also affected the southern state of Chiapas, where several thousand people have been moved to safety, Mexico's El Universal newspaper reports. |
| Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the floods? What are conditions like at the moment? Send us your comments using the form below: | Are you in the area? Have you been affected by the floods? What are conditions like at the moment? Send us your comments using the form below: |
| You can send pictures and video to: | You can send pictures and video to: |
| yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here. Click here to see terms and conditions | yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124. If you have a large file you can upload here. Click here to see terms and conditions |
| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |