Heavy rains in Mexico have killed at least 44 people due to flooding and landslides, with Veracruz, Hidalgo, Puebla, and Querétaro among the hardest-hit areas.

President Claudia Sheinbaum met with governors to coordinate an emergency response as rescue teams dig through mud-filled villages.

Hundreds of military and emergency personnel are conducting rescues and setting up shelters for stranded residents.

Thousands remain without electricity and running water, and some communities in Veracruz were reached only by air to deliver food and medical aid, the Associated Press has reported.

The rains, linked to Tropical Storms Priscilla and Raymond, dumped up to 21 inches of rain in parts of Veracruz, causing rivers to overflow and inundate neighborhoods.