MEXICO: Spanish government sends two planeloads of aid for flood-ravaged Tabasco state in Mexico

Record ID: 303867

  • Title: MEXICO: Spanish government sends two planeloads of aid for flood-ravaged Tabasco state in Mexico
  • Date: 10th November 2007
  • Summary: (BN02) VILLAHERMOSA, TABASCO, MEXICO (NOVEMBER 09, 2007) (REUTERS) SPANISH DIPLOMATS WALKING TOWARDS PLANE MILITARY TROOPS WALKING TOWARDS PLANE
  • Embargoed: 25th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVACONB6Q5TUCDPTEXDKR1KFF2UC
  • Story Text: Aid has started arriving in Tabasco state in Mexico where last week's heavy rains caused some of the country's most serious flooding in decades, killing three people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.
    Spain's International Cooperation Agency (AECI) sent a Hercules airplane on Friday (November 9) loaded with aid worth 110 thousand euros - which includes two purifying water plants, tents and medicines. This is the second plane to arrive in Tabasco from Spain.
    The AECI will also donate 350,000 euros (half a million dollars) in cash to purchase additional items-- such as food, bottled water and hygienic products-- locally, as requested by the Mexican government.
    Thousands of people are still in shelters and authorities are worried about possible outbreaks of cholera and dengue fever.
    The Spanish Ambassador in Mexico, Carmelo Angulo, said the tragedy has massive dimensions.
    "Thousands of acres have been covered by rain and the aid from Spain intends to - this half a million euros - attend the basic needs of the population. Two purifying water plants, bottles of water, tents, blankets and requested medicines, to prevent infections, will arrive in two planes."
    Mexican states sent aid ranging from helicopters and portable water treatment plants to bottles of water and thousands of people across Mexico donated money to the cause.
    More than 1,700 tonnes of help has been channeled through the Red Cross. Some 6,000 tonnes of aid has arrived to Tabasco in the last few days.
    Mexican President Felipe Calderon has said that Tabasco would need to continue receiving aid for the next couple of months.
    Cuba sent a plane with 54 doctors to treat Tabasco residents. The United States donated $300,000.
    Canada, Germany, Australia, Belgium, UK, Switzerland, Peru, Honduras, Panama, Japan, Israel, Argentina and Venezuela, El Salvador among others have all sent aid to Tabasco, as well as international organizations.
    The economic cost of the disaster has been put at 50 billion pesos ($4.7 billion) by the state governor.
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