Dozens still missing days after Mexico's mass flood

Five days after historic floods that have killed at least 66 people and damaged 100,000 homes, Mexico is still struggling to provide aid to the worst-affected communities and locate 75 missing individuals, amid growing criticism of the government’s response to the crisis.

After a year of meteoric approval ratings, the disaster is a test for Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has encountered rare hostile crowds and heckling on visits to affected areas.

The disaster began when torrential rain in the central and eastern parts of the country set off landslides, caused rivers to overflow and bridges to collapse. Whole streets were washed away.

Antonio Ocaranza, a political analyst based in Mexico City, said that while he has been impressed by Sheinbaum's willingness to be on the ground during the recovery, it belies a bigger problem.

"There is a problem of competence in the initial reaction to the tragedy," he said, adding that officials were slow in providing necessary machinery to some areas.

The disaster has also fueled questions about the government’s reliance on the military to handle a growing list of responsibilities, from managing airports to constructing major infrastructure projects and distributing disaster relief.

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