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Mexico Report
by Capt. Pat Rains
Surviving Hurricane Jimena - Rebuilding Los Cabos and La Paz
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On September 1, 2009, a category 5 hurricane (Jimena) zeroed in on Los Cabos and La Paz and grabbed worldwide attention for 24 hours. When CNN reported no significant damage to Cabo San Lucas, most U.S. media yawned and looked elsewhere for the next shocking disaster. Unfortunately, Jimena was just getting warmed up. Jimena slammed ashore on Magdalena Bay. At the time it was considered a category 4 hurricane with winds registering 130 miles per hour.
Four well-known fishing communities were destroyed: the commercial port town of Puerto San Carlos, the cannery town of Lopez Mateos near Boca de Soledad, San Lazaro in the estuary at the north end of Santa Maria Bay and the village of Puerto Magdalena in Man of War Cove.
When Jimena came ashore, it pushed a storm surge of 9 to 12 feet. Additionally, it struck during a full moon, amplifying the seawater damage, which was further exaggerated by the month’s highest range of tides.
Despite warnings from the Mexican Red Cross (Cruz Roja), many residents of San Carlos and the barrier island villages were unable to evacuate, because the rising sea and bridges that were washed out cut them off.
Hurricane Jimena continued churning north into Bahia San Ignacio – the whale-spawning lagoon – then turned east. As it crossed Baja’s central plateau, Jimena flattened 750 homes and businesses in Villa Insurgents and Ciudad Constitución, toppling 200 electrical towers and cell phone antennas. A hundred tiny desert communities were destroyed, and their livestock drowned. Dozens of bridges collapsed, severing Highway 1 and most secondary roads in south-central Baja.
Jimena hovered for two more days over Isla Tortuga in the middle of the Sea of Cortez. Torrential downpours created flash floods across Baja’s Vizcaino Desert and inundated the coastal towns of Santa Rosalia and Mulege. A wall of flash-flooded debris scoured downtown Santa Rosalia, flushing cars and trucks into the harbor. Most of the homes along the river in Mulege were destroyed, claiming one life.
First Responders
Baja’s own Civil Protection agency kept law and order; the CIF utility agency began restoring power where possible within 24 hours including emergency generators and temporary radio and cell phone antennas. As soon as the first airstrip could be repaired, Baja’s governor landed in Constitución to assess damage and release emergency funds.
First responders from the U.S. included more than 300 flights of donated medical and household relief items delivered by the Baja Bush Pilots to the towns of Mulege and Loreto. Additionally, the Flying Samaritan doctors delivered medical care to Lopez Mateos and Constitución. A good supply of food, clothing and camping gear was gathered by the National Offshore Road Rally Association, delivered to Cruz Roja offices by RV and sports vehicles.
During the storm and for a month after, workers from Pro Peninsula in San Diego had workers in Lopez Mateos and San Lazaro helping the pangueros save their boats and rebuild their homes. The Bi-National Emergency Medical Care Committee coordinated donation distribution in Chula Vista near the Tijuana border with Cruz Roja offices throughout Baja. Many other nongovernmental agencies (NGO) jumped in as well.
What You Can Do
The hardest hit areas still need assistance. The task at hand is to rebuild and clear away debris. In Baja the winter brings cold temperatures, which means donations of any kind are greatly appreciated
Take Action
Boaters heading to Magdalena Bay can drop off donations at the Whale’s Tale Inn (the sportfishing lodge at the north end of Santa Maria Bay). Owner Bob Hoyt and his staff will distribute any donations to the hardest-hit families.
Warm clothing for men, women and children; tarps and ropes; batteries of all kinds; warm bedding; small household appliances; simple fishing supplies; hand tools; power tools and children’s school supplies are needed.
You can also donate online to the nonprofit organizations instrumental in helping rebuild the community:
Baja Bush Pilots (www.bajabushpilots. com). These private pilots across the U.S. brave Baja’s remote airstrips to help the locals.
Flying Samaritans (www.flyingsamaritans. com). Doctors team up with private pilots to provide fly-in medical clinics at 20 of Baja’s most remote locations.
Pro Peninsula (www.propeninsula. org). Oceanographers helping Baja’s panga fishermen conserve sea turtles (Grupo Tortuguero) and other wildlife.
Red Cross of Mexico (Cruz Roja) (www.cruzrojamexicana.org).If you donate please specify that you would like your donation to benefit the Hurricane Jimena relief efforts. What better way to start 2010?
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This article first appeared in the January 1, 2010 issue of Sea Magazine. All or parts of the information contained in this article might be outdated. |
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