Oaxaca, Mexico—Persistent rainfall triggered a series of lethal landslides across rural Oaxaca this week. Emergency management officials confirmed the death toll reached 12 by Thursday morning. Saturated earth gave way in several mountainous communities, burying homes without warning.

Local authorities have been working through difficult conditions to locate missing residents. Rescue teams utilized heavy machinery and manual tools to clear debris from remote roads. Access remains the primary obstacle for bringing medical supplies into the affected zones.

The region had faced nearly four days of non-stop precipitation before the ground collapsed. Geological experts warned that the soil in the Sierra Sur range reached maximum saturation. This led to multiple slope failures that decimated small hillside settlements.

State Governor Alejandro Ruiz addressed the public during an emergency briefing held earlier today. He confirmed that search efforts will continue for at least another forty-eight hours. The military has arrived to assist with the excavation of the most damaged sites.

Families living in the path of the slides had little time to react when the ground shifted. Survivors are currently sheltering in local schools and town halls provided by state agencies. Many have lost their livestock and crops in addition to their homes.

Coordination between local, state, and federal entities has become the central focus of the response. Supplies including clean water and temporary tents are being airlifted to the hardest-hit sectors. Conditions remain volatile as light rain continues to fall intermittently.

Geologists are currently surveying the slopes to identify further risks of collapse. Thousands of residents remain on high alert as the threat of secondary slides looms over their communities. Any additional heavy rainfall could render entire districts uninhabitable for weeks.

Recovery teams are transitioning from rescue to the stabilization phase of the operation. Engineering crews are repairing main access arteries to ensure future support reaches isolated valleys. The emotional toll on the affected villages continues to weigh heavily on first responders.