The depression and its remnants contributed significantly to an ongoing flood in Mexico , bring up to of rain to Jalacingo , Veracruz . Throughout Mexico , 90,000 houses were damaged or destroyed , leaving about 500,000 people homeless . Flooding caused thousands of landslides and 39 rivers to overflow , leading to the destruction of bridges , houses , widespread crop fields , schools , and electrical networks . Flooding also extended into Central America in late September through early October , causing $ 40 million ( 385 million pesos ) in crop damage and 70 deaths . However , impact by the depression itself can not be distinguished . On September 30 , a tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa . It slowly began to organize during the next several days and by early on October 6 , developed into Tropical Depression Twelve while located about east of Martinique . Due to an anticyclone , conditions appeared favorable for significant strengthening , with the National Hurricane Center predicting the depression to be at least a strong tropical storm by October 9 . However , wind shear began undercutting the anticyclone , which prevented any significant intensification . Later on October 6 , the low-level circulation became exposed to the west of the deep convection . The depression never re-organized and instead deteriorated in structure due to shearing . Despite a burst in convection on October 8 , the depression dissipated at 18:00 UTC while located about 875 mi ( 1,410 km ) east-northeast of Barbuda . A broad trough of low pressure developed into a tropical depression while south of the Isle of Youth on October 12 . It headed north and soon intensified into Tropical Storm Irene . On October 14 , the storm passed over the Isle of Youth and western Cuba . While over the Straits of Florida , Irene reached hurricane strength . The next day , it made landfall in Key West , Florida , and again near Cape Sable . Later on October 15 , Irene moved back over water near Jupiter as a minimal hurricane . It slowly strengthened as it paralleled the East Coast of the United States . When Irene interacted with a trough from the west , while over the warm Gulf Stream waters , the hurricane rapidly intensified and attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds and a minimum barometric pressure of on October 18 . However , after accelerating northeast , Irene weakened over the cooler waters of the North Atlantic . On October 19 , the hurricane transitioned into an extratropical cyclone near Newfoundland and was absorbed by an extratropical low shortly thereafter
ongoing flood in Mexico
October 1999 Mexico floods
1999 Atlantic hurricane season