A storm packing tornadoes and torrential rain socked northern Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma on Monday, killing 16 people and leaving thousand of homes damaged, news reports said, according to dpa. Thirteen people were killed in Ciudad Acuna and about 1,500 houses were destroyed there by a tornado that lasted just six seconds, the mayor of the town told Mexican media. Coahuila state Secretary of Government Victor Zamora confirmed that 13 people were killed and at least 230 were injured. In Hays County Texas south of Austin a search and rescue operation was under way for 12 people who were missing after a river spilled over its banks. The raging water swept away vehicles and homes, taking their occupants with it. Governor Greg Abbott told a news conference the rising water had a "tsunami-like power" and warned people not to underestimate it. "You cannot candy-coat it," Abbott said at a news conference. "It's absolutely massive." Abbott declared a state of emergency in 37 counties as the US National Weather Service on Monday posted flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings for an area stretching from southern Texas northward into Oklahoma. The record rainfall killed at least three people in the United States, reports said Sunday. One person died in San Marcos, where up to 400 homes were lost. The Blanco River, which flows through San Marcos, rose well above its previous flood record of 10.1 metres to 12.2 metres late Saturday, CNN reported. The two other deaths in the US occurred in Oklahoma. A 33-year-old woman died after she lost control of her car, CNN said, citing the state's emergency management spokeswoman. And in Claremore, a firefighter was killed after being swept into a storm drain. The weekend deluges caused Oklahoma City to break its all-time rainfall record for any single month.
