By Pablo Perez
Villahermosa - Rescue workers and police were out in force helping flood victims in southern Mexico, as food shortages sent hundreds of hungry people on a looting rampage at a shopping centre.
Around 80 percent of the Belgium-sized state of Tabasco was flooded after seven rain-loaded rivers burst their banks in the flat, flood-prone region, in its worst natural disaster in decades.
In neighbouring Chiapas state, bordering the Pacific Ocean, authorities put 30 townships with more than a million people under a state of alert Saturday after 16 rivers overflowed their banks, and reported one person killed by the floods.
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'We've lost everything' In Tabasco, the floods affected more than half the state's 2,1 million population, and one death has been confirmed so far. Patrols were still searching for victims on Saturday.
Many thousands of people were trapped at home. With water as deep as two meters (6.5 feet), many have desperately tried to flee, waiting as long as three days for a rescue-boat pickup from their rooftops or as they clung to tree branches.
Thousands poured into neighbouring states Chiapas and Veracruz seeking refuge.
But many others holed up despite the flooding, refusing to leave at their own risk, fearing looters would take all their possessions.
Carlos Mario Ramos, 75, had been slow to leave his home, and said he was happy that "the water is down a bit. But at this rate it is going to take a week or two to go down to normal."
Drinking water and food shortages brought on by flooded roads in Tabasco have prompted several looting incidents at abandoned homes and businesses.
The worst incident took place Saturday morning when around 1 000 people overran a downtown shopping centre in Tabasco, overwhelming law enforcement officials posted in the area, and making off with everything in sight, including televisions and home appliances.
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