Some Mexicans in the low-lying working class neighbourhoods of Poza Rica heard the wall of water before they saw it.

The loudest sound was from the cars crashing together as they were swept along by the water that had escaped from the banks of the Cazones River and flooded the streets with more than 4 metres of water at dawn Friday, local time.

On Saturday, much of that water had flowed away.

What was left was pure destruction: cars hung in treetops and even a dead horse wedged inside the cabin of a pick-up truck.

The death toll from landslides and floods set off by incessant rainfall in central and south-eastern Mexico rose to 41 people on Saturday, authorities said.

The sharp increase came as thousands of soldiers cleared blocked roads to rescue the missing.

In Veracruz alone, more

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