Hurricane Barbara death toll rises to three in Mexico

Authorities today resumed their search for 12 missing fishermen after Hurricane Barbara hit southern Mexico, as the death toll from the storm rose to three after a man drowned in a river.
Barbara made landfall in the southern state of Chiapas yesterday, producing heavy rains that drenched the neighbouring states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression today.
The latest victim was a 60-year-old man whose body was found late yesterday on a river bank in the Oaxaca town of Santa Cruz Zenzontepec, state police said.
The other victims were a 61-year-old US surfer who was slammed by the waves in Oaxaca's Playa Azul and a 27-year-old man who was dragged away by a swollen river.

The navy and local authorities meanwhile resumed their search for a dozen fishermen who have not returned since leaving on four boats yesterday, said the mayor of San Pedro Tapanatepec, Ricardo Escobar.
Escobar voiced confidence the men would be found since two other fishermen who had been reported missing were located late Wednesday "alive and in good condition.