21 dead, around 21 missing after hurricane Agatha hits Mexico
June 1, 2022, 9:00 am

21 dead, around 21 missing after hurricane Agatha hits Mexico

Torrential rains and howling winds whipped palm trees and drove tourists and residents into shelters in Mexico's Oaxaca state [Jose de Jesus Cortes/Reuters]

The Anews reported, citing the DPA, at least 11 people have died after Hurricane Agatha cut a swathe across Mexico.

The unusually strong storm marked the first hurricane of the season, and made landfall on Monday near several beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast, causing flooding and landslides.

According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), it began to weaken as it moved inland and was downgraded to a tropical storm and dissipated by the end of Tuesday.

At least 11 people died and a further 21 people were still missing, Alejandro Murat, the governor of the southern Mexican state, told Radio Fórmula on Tuesday evening (May 31).

Hurricane Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to come ashore in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane season, ripping off roofs and washing out roads before fading Tuesday in southern Mexico. https://t.co/EHEXobH1JB pic.twitter.com/VEqUtuWYJt
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 31, 2022

Murat said some communities on the coast and in the mountainous region of Sierra Sur were still without electricity and phone reception.

According to state-owned electricity company CFE, 70,000 connections were temporarily cut off.

Murat said schools in the worst affected regions would remain closed on Wednesday (June 1).

NOAA: US must prepare for heightened 2022 hurricane season

The NHC said Agatha's remnants were expected to produce heavy rainfall across south-eastern Mexico for a few more days, adding that "life-threatening" flash floods and mudslides were possible.

With winds of up to 165 kilometres per hour, Agatha was a category 2 hurricane, out of a five-point scale and, according to the NHC, the strongest storm to make landfall on Mexico's Pacific coast in the month of May since records began in 1949.

13 dead in US state of Louisiana as category 4 hurricane hit the coastal state

Hurricane season lasts from May 15 to November 30 in the Pacific and from June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic.

According to experts, climate change is probably causing tropical cyclones to become more intense.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”