Severe Flooding in Tabasco ... - Thorn Tree travel forum

Severe Flooding in Tabasco

Replies: 84 - Last Post: 21-Feb-2008 14:00 Last Post By: mschwarz

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Posted
31-Oct-2007 20:19
by: RJ_1

Posts: 651
Registered: 06/03/02

Severe Flooding in Tabasco

Please post updates and discussion about the flood situation in this thread
BR>Right now according to the Mexico City newspaper El Universal something like 70% of the state of Tabasco is flooded now. The US media hasn´t picked up on the story, but there are something like 400,000 people are homeless now.

According to the local newspaper Tabasco Hoy many people are camped out along the shoulder of the highways out in the countryside. In some cases the sand bags didn´t arrive in time and their photos of the flooding in the capital city of Villahermosa are impressive.

The Governor of the state of Tabasco compares Villahermosa to New Orleans in that it will take a long time for the flood waters to recede. He also says it´s the worst flooding the state in the last 50 years. He says he expects food shortages President Calderon was there this afternoon asking for people to start donations of food, blankets, and bottled water.

Nobody has mentioned that something like 20% of Mexico´s petroleum production comes from the affected area.

Things are going to get tougher. If you are a tourist, I would avoid the area for a couple of days and not become part of the problem.

John

Posted
31-Oct-2007 20:25
by: longford

Posts: 4,117
Registered: 28/05/03

1

The story of the severe flooding in Veracruz during the past month, the story of the oil/gas spills in Tabasco/Veracruz in the past week and the severe flooding you're talking about now in Tabasco have all, in large part, been ignored by much of the international media. Thre have been some terrible flooding along the Chiapas section of the Pacific Coast, also. There's been some international coverage of these events, but not to the extent warranted. The powers-that-be who make the decisions as to what stories get covered and which don't still aren't convinced that the events such as we're talking about here deserve broader coverage.

Posted
31-Oct-2007 20:48
by: bixaorellana

Posts: 1,663
Registered: 22/06/06

2

Good grief!
RJ1, thank you for posting this. I haven't looked at the news in days, so had no idea, nor about the flooding in Chiapas reported by longford.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/

Posted
31-Oct-2007 20:51
by: bixaorellana

Posts: 1,663
Registered: 22/06/06

3

Links to news in English here: Tabasco floods.

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/

Posted
31-Oct-2007 21:16
by: RJ_1

Posts: 651
Registered: 06/03/02

4

On the TV news tonight, they said they have cut electrical power to some 600 communities in Tabasco, and that all the crops have been lost, especially bananas, cacao, and pimienta. All the schools in the state have been closed indefinitely.

There were graphic photos of it still raining in VH as uniformed people and volunteers filled sandbags in the rain to stack on an already 6 ft. tall wall of sand bags. The reporter said that the river was already at the top level of the wall which was creepy and looked dangerous for the people working in the street next to the wall.

Army convoys are arriving with field kitchens, and helicopters have been rescuing people from the roofs of their homes who didn´t heed the evacuation order.

It´s a mess right now, and Javier a la Torre say the nightmare for Tabasco is just beginning. Weather forecast is more rain showers tonight. Now is not the time to be in Tabasco. My suggestion is to keep watching the news.

John

Posted
01-Nov-2007 03:16
by: TempleOwls

Posts: 47
Registered: 08/05/07

5

Fucking hell!!

I will be flying into Villahermosa in the beginning of December for a trip into Chiapas. Is anyone there right now? Any need to change plans?

Posted
01-Nov-2007 06:17
by: RJ_1

Posts: 651
Registered: 06/03/02

6

On the TV news this morning the Governor of the State of Tabasco said conditions have worsened. There are now some 300,000 people in govt shelters and food is running low, and there are 700,000 victims (damificados) of the severe flooding. He is asking for help, especially with sandbags, boats, and helicoptors to rescue the stranded people. He said additional army units with food and helicopters are scheduled to continue arriving during the day today.

You could see the water is still rising and flowing into the city. Generally the mood of the people is calm, and you can see a lot of people setting up housekeeping on their roofs.

From the aerial photos, it looked a lot like New Orleans after Katrina.

As for losses the Governor said the crops are a total loss, and right now they aren´t thinking about the Recovery Phase of this disaster. This is the Emergency Phase and people are coping with the situation watching the water as it rises.

It looks like Tabasco is in for another day of intermittant rains.

The emergency isn´t over with yet, and it´s best to stay close to the newspaper reports on internet if you don´t have access to local TV news.

John

Posted
01-Nov-2007 10:45
by: pestiforo

Posts: 147
Registered: 27/05/03

7

This is such a shame. My best wishes go out to the damnificados with hopes that the waters recede very soon.

In fact, I think most of this discussion is between the hopelessly deluded and the mostly over it. Gwendolyn Dean

Posted
01-Nov-2007 18:59
by: xenbaba

Posts: 1
Registered: 01/11/07

8

US citizen and have been in Frontera, Tabasco for the last 7 weeks on business.

Frontera is relatively unaffected even though it's on the banks of Rio Grijalva. Possibly because the town is nearer to the mouth at the Gulf than other locations and it may be a higher elevation than centro Villahermosa.

Highways into Villahermosa (180, 186) are closed, as well as the airport. Other cities hit hard are Paraiso, Cardenas, and Comalcalco. Word is a new front is coming in late Friday. Have lived through four separate "frente frios" while here. This latest one didn't seem so bad, but this situation is probably the result of the latest front as well as the previous one (which seemed to be the worst of the four) that moved through middle of the previous week.

My suggestion for anyone trying to fly to Villahermosa this next week - you might try Ciudad del Carmen. It's the closest (about 160 km) "major" airport to Villahermosa, although Carmen may have some flooding issues, also. Have heard reports of "days" to "weeks" for getting major highways open. Check available new sources for more accurate up-to-date information. Best news source would be someone in the affected areas (if you can reach them.)

Posted
01-Nov-2007 19:59
by: longford

Posts: 4,117
Registered: 28/05/03

9

President Calderon addressed the nation (Mexico) in a televised broadcast tonight, concerning the catastrophe in Tabasco. Food, water and fuel are in short supply. There are nationwide appeals for aid. I've been monitoring Mexican television news broadcasts all evening; the situation is very bad - more than 700,000 people negatively impacted.

Posted
01-Nov-2007 20:32
by: bixaorellana

Posts: 1,663
Registered: 22/06/06

10

Do you long-time TTers know how to ask for this thread to be fixed at the top of the branch? It is certainly of overwhelming importance.

More than 700,000 people! The shelters must be completely overburdened. Where are all the displaced going?

http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/

Posted
01-Nov-2007 21:31
by: RJ_1

Posts: 651
Registered: 06/03/02

11

On the news tonight, the estimated number of storm victims rose to 1,000,000, in a state that has a population of about 2.2 million. Over the years, I´ve spent time in the area, and know what the land looks like in normal times. After seeing the film clips taken during a helicoptor survey, you can see the damage to the state of Tabasco is beyond most people´s imagination, at least my own.

From the TV reports tonight the numbers of people being evacuated by helicoptor and boat in Villahermosa is enormous and it looks like everybody is pitching in.

This evening radio station XEU AM 930 in Veracruz which normally covers the Gulf Coast announced that they had gotten permission from the SCT to increase their power and would be linking up with a station in VH to broadcast public service announcements to the affected rural areas.

And the worst is yet to come because the water is still rising, and a representative from the Comision Nacional del Agua said it might take one month for the water to go back to normal levels. That´s a long time to live on your rooftop or in a shelter. Next try to imagine all the mosquitos and "chaquistes" that will result later.

One thing I didn´t know is that like New Orleans, much of VH is below the normal river levels and they´ve kept the city dry with pumps all this time.

Tonight will be another long night in the dark for these people since they´ve cut off the electricity.

President Calderon says it will be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country. I am still surprised the US media hasn´t picked up on this major event. I guess it´s because it´s not exactly a tourist area.

Tomorrow when I go to the store I´m going to buy a case of bottled water and drop it off at the Red Cross. My small donation probably isn´t much, but if everybody tries to give a little something it may ease the suffering some of these people are going through right now.

John

Posted
02-Nov-2007 04:12
by: Mauricio

Posts: 1,887
Registered: 13/04/00

12

Have there been heavy rains in the Guatemalan highlands? The headwaters of the Grijalva river are in the Guatemalan highlands. Also, a branch of the Usumacinta flows into the Grijalva, and a source of the Usumacinta is the Guatemalan highlands...

Posted
02-Nov-2007 07:04
by: AntonioMexi

Posts: 627
Registered: 18/05/06

13

Quote
President Calderon addressed the nation (Mexico) in a televised broadcast tonight, concerning the catastrophe in Tabasco. Food, water and fuel are in short supply. There are nationwide appeals for aid. I've been monitoring Mexican television news broadcasts all evening; the situation is very bad - more than 700,000 people negatively impacted.

The federal government and other state governors have sent aid to tabasco. Hope the international aid also arrives some day. President Calderon has ordered the army and the navy to abort other missions (like the drug war) to help the tabaqueños until the emergency has gone. Also has asked for help from ordinary mexicans (sendig canned food, water and fuel)

Saludos

Posted
02-Nov-2007 07:07
by: AntonioMexi

Posts: 627
Registered: 18/05/06

14

Quote
Where are all the displaced going?

The municipal, state and federal governments have established shelters. As far as I know the biggest one is in a parking lot of a Villahermosa´s mall.

Saludos

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