US, Mexico Trade Hit by Flooding, Trucks Stalled

VOA News
July 14, 2010 at 10:20 pm

U.S. officials say thousands of U.S. and Mexican trucks hauling goods across the border are backed up due to severe flooding that has blocked a key trade route in northern Mexico.

Officials say Hurricane Alex, which recently unleashed heavy rains on the region, contributed to floods this week. Roads, bridges and other infrastructure in parts of northern Mexico have been flooded and destroyed.

Authorities say at least 11,000 trucks are stalled and are not expected to begin moving again until Friday.

Authorities say the flooding has affected the delivery of goods between Laredo, Texas in the United States and the Mexican cities of Nuevo Leon and Monterrey. One Mexican official said the full economic impact of the blockage is likely to be substantial.

Hurricane Alex flooded Monterrey, killing 12 people.

Some information in this story was provided by Bloomberg and Reuters.