MEXICO: Heavy rain in Tabasco state affects 44,000

Record ID: 1476197

  • Title: MEXICO: Heavy rain in Tabasco state affects 44,000
  • Date: 5th November 2009
  • Summary: TABASCO, MEXICO (NOVEMBER 04, 2009) (REUTERS) SWOLLEN RIVER RUNNING UNDER BRIDGE CRACKED ROAD RESIDENTS LOOKING ON CRACKED HIGHWAY / WATER RUNNING ALONG BOTTOM FLOODED STREET / HOUSE
  • Embargoed: 20th November 2009 15:12
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVAEJ5KYQQ0306DZI9VRPEC512U6
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Heavy rains caused by a cold front flood parts of Tabasco state killing three people and affecting more than 44,000 people in 91 communities.
    Flooding caused by heavy rains along Mexico's southern Gulf Coast has drenched Tabasco state, killing three people and forcing more than 44,000 people from their homes.
    Tabasco Gov. Andres Granier said homes in 91 communities have been flooded. The federal government declared a state of emergency in the communities of Cardenas and Huimanguillo and troops were helping to rescue people trapped in their homes.
    Water in some streets in these communities reached one and a half metres.
    Residents tried to rescue what they could from their homes, others lost everything.
    "It started to rain on Saturday afternoon. Water started to rise and we were unable to rescue any belongings," said Tabasco state resident, Mar Perez.
    In the affected communities of Cardenas and Huimanguillo, 2,200 bundles of basic food products were distributed as well as 1,000 mattresses.
    Some 34 temporary shelters in these communities were also set up in the region of La Chontalpa, where more than 10,000 people are staying in refuges. The figure could increase in the next few days.
    "The reference is that in only three days, more than 1,054 cubic millimeters of rain fell in the region of La Chontalpa. This quantity of water is equivalent to rain that probably fell in 2007, in the central plain of Tabasco," Tabasco Gov. Andres Granier told a news conference.
    Another Tabasco state resident Hilario Cordoba rode on his horse along a flooded street. He said many neighbours lost everything.
    "The water started to rise at night and in the morning and many did not take precautions and lost all of their belongings."
    Local authorities said the heavy rains had damaged health centres, schools, churches, homes and could've affected 80,000 hectares of harvesting lands.
    Conagua, the national water commission, said river levels in the state were stable, only Samaria River was 56 cms (22inches) above its critical scale.
    Mexico's National Weather Service said a cold front, which has caused the heavy rains, will begin to move away slowly. However it will remain cloudy with possible rain storms on Wednesday (November 04) and Thursday (November 05).
    Civil Protection authorities said sandbag and clay barriers were being placed around the state capital Villahermosa.
    Heavy rains have also affected Chiapas and the neighbouring state of Veracruz.
    Residents have expressed their frustration that government infrastructure projects have not prevented annual flooding in Tabasco.
    Mexico faced huge floods in 2007 when weeks of heavy rain put the banana-growing state of Tabasco under water in a disaster that cost insurers $700 million, according to an industry group and left some 800,000 people homeless.
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