About one-third of the population of Chiapas, or about 800,000 people, was directly affected by the flooding, most significantly in Motozintla and Pijijiapan. In Motozintla, near Mexico's border with Chiapas, a two-day rainfall total of 12 in (305 mm) produced flash floods and mudslides. The rainfall total represented about 36% of the town's average annual precipitation. About 600 homes were destroyed in the town alone, and there were 30 fatalities. The rains caused 36 river basins to exceed their banks. Following the floods, officials in Motozintla created a channel to divert flooding. Throughout Chiapas, the floods damaged or destroyed 40 bridges, and there was damage to Mexican Federal Highway 200 along the Pacific coast; this interrupted travel for several weeks. About 16,000 houses were damaged, forcing about 25,000 people in government shelters. The floods affected of croplands. Overall, damage was estimated at $63 million (1998 USD), representing Mexico's worst natural disaster since the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. Along Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the disaster was considered a 1 in 50 year event. There were at least 229 deaths, although a government report on the flooding indicated there were over 1000 people killed or missing. After the storm, the Mexican government established a study to determine the cause and the impact of the flooding.