Mexican flood victims drink from river

By Noel Randewich

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico (Reuters) - Thirsty residents of a Mexican city devastated by floods drank from a muddy river and cisterns in their homes as water and food became scarce on Monday.

Flooding caused by burst river banks last week forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes in the southern city of Villahermosa. But many inhabitants were unable to leave or stayed home fearing their houses would be robbed if they left.

"For lack of water, they're taking it out of cisterns and the river," teacher Janette Aguilera, 32, said of her neighbours.

In an interview with Mexican radio, Tabasco state Gov. Andres Granier said it would be months before all Villahermosa's residents could return.

"We're calculating the problem as one of three months ... before 100 percent of the people can go home," he said.

The land around the city, where bananas, beans and corn are grown, was destroyed. "The countryside is totally lost," Granier said.

Thousands of people have been plucked from rooftops by helicopter or rescued by boat. Large parts of Tabasco resembled a huge lake with just the tops of roofs poking through.

Only one death has been reported in Tabasco, although in the neighbouring state of Chiapas, local government officials reported four fatalities on Sunday after rain-swollen rivers burst their banks, damaging thousands of homes and 16 bridges.