Hurricane Odile: What We Know Now
Updated 10/3/14 at 9 a.m PST
(Above: Photos of teams of CFE workers repairing electric lines on Avenida Los Cabos near the Jacarandas neighborhood. We should have electric service in this areas in a few days.)
When Hurricane Odile made landfall as the most powerful storm ever in Baja California Sur, it brought unprecedented devastation to Los Cabos and the surrounding region. After days of limited communications due to downed power lines and knocked-out phone service, we are now able to share more about the extent of the damages and the progress to recovery. On this blog, we will provide regular updates as they come in.
Taxes: Baja California Sur and the federal government have announced widespread tax exemptions and extensions in the wake of Hurricane #Odile. Hotels will be exempt from paying lodging taxes, Gov. Marcos Covarrubias announced, and businesses have five months that they can postpone the payment of payroll taxes.
San Jose del Cabo Airport: The Los Cabos international airport in San Jose del Cabo has reopened.
Damage: There are now estimates that Hurricane Odile may have caused more than $12 billion pesos in economic losses for Baja California Sur.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/danos-por-odile-en-bcs-superarian-los-12-mil-mdp/
Deaths: There have now been five confirmed deaths due to Hurricane Odile. Two mine executives were killed in Santa Rosalia when they tried to cross a flooded arroyo. A third man died due to a heart attack. On Saturday, the body of a fifth person, a 45-year-old British woman, was found after having drowned.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/se-termina-el-saldo-blanco-por-odile-mueren-directivos-de-el-boleo-en-santa-rosalia/
Tourists: More than 15,000 tourists have been able to return to their home towns, according to the Baja California Sur Tourism Department. The military and major air carriers including Volaris and Alaska conducted more than 100 airlifts. Additionally, Gray Line and Terramar have provided free shuttle service to tourists who were stranded at their respective hotels. Sources: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/mas-de-10000-turistas-afectados-por-odile-regresan-sus-lugares-de-origen/ and http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/puente-aereo-ha-rescatado-a-mas-de-15-mil-turistas-varados-en-baja-california-sur
Phones: The cell phone provider is offering customers 75 pesos in free credit. All customers have to do is dial *133# and hit send. And MegaCable is offering free phone calls to community members.
Food: Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Soriana have reopened. See a more complete list of businesses here: https://www.loscabosguide.com/blog/2014/09/updates-on-los-cabos-businesses/
Banks: Most banks remain closed.
Safety: Residents report feeling much safer now that some 8,000 military and federal police have arrived. There are no streets you walk without seeing their presence.
Red Cross: The Mexican Red Cross has more than 500 volunteers on the ground in Los Cabos helping those affected by Hurricane Odile. Some 120 of these volunteers are paramedics, and they are providing basic medical check-ups in addition to delivering food to those in shelters. As of September 18, they had delivered 2,000 food parcels.
Source: http://newsroom.redcross.org/
Drone: A drone captured the damage following the hurricane. See it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqMe-LNgwgU&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop
Cleanup: Solomon’s Landing on the Cabo San Lucas Marina wrote on its Facebook page that all facets of the Mexican government have been working to help those affected by Hurricane Odile and help clean and rebuild the region. “The military is clearing away the debris and rebuilding the town, literally,” it said. The restaurant is expected to reopen Tuesday.
Beaches: Individual efforts to clean Los Cabos beaches has begun, and on Monday Semarnat will begin an official, organized effort.
Exodus: The Baja California Sur government confirms that more than 200 cars of Los Cabos residents have headed north to the state capital of La Paz. Because of the widespread looting in Los Cabos, the government is taking extra measures to prevent the criminal behavior from spreading north. Roadblocks have been set up, and cars are being closely inspected. Several arrests have already been made, with suspects including a surgeon, teachers, and a stylist.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/ingresan-hasta-200-vehiculos-por-hora-de-los-cabos-a-la-paz-gobierno-de-bcs/
Impact: Storm chasers arrived in Los Cabos on Sunday just hours before Odile made landfall in order to capture the moment it impacted a hotel. See the dramatic video: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/graban-cazatormentas-el-momento-en-que-odile-golpea-un-hotel-en-los-cabos/
Looting: Nearly every major store and all but one Oxxo in Los Cabos experienced looting by residents as well as some tourists. In addition to food items, thieves targeted electronics, home appliances, beer, and more. Big box store Walmart even reported its cash registers being stolen and said that it cannot even begin to assess damage or estimate when it will reopen.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/denuncia-walmart-saqueo-en-la-mitad-de-sus-tiendas-de-bcs/
Looted Items Recovered: The Baja California Sur’s attorney general’s office reported than in a five-day period, police counted 12,343 cars and 34,801 people entering La Paz from Los Cabos and were able to recover 2,311 items that were stolen during the looting that followed Hurricane Odile. Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/en-5-dias-entraron-la-paz-34800-personas-de-los-cabos-se-decomisaron-2300-objetos-robados/l
Power: Power has now been restored throughout Los Cabos.
Gas Supply: Most gas stations have reopened and have only short lines. Across the state, 70 percent of gas stations are open.
Emergency Aid: The Navy ship “El Zapoteco” left Mazatlan on Thursday in route to Los Cabos loaded with emergency supplies including food, bottled water, toiletries, cleaning supplies and more. A second shipment is expected in the coming days.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/zarpa-de-mazatlan-los-cabos-buque-de-la-marina-con-24000-despensas/
Fuerza Cabos: On Saturday, the new citizen program Fuerza Cabos was announced as part of an effort to clean Cabo San Lucas.
Source: http://www.tribunadeloscabos.com.mx/newpage2/index.cfm?op=por2&recordID=216453&seccion=Portada&tit=Inicia%20programa%20ciudadano%20Fuerza%20Cabos%20para%20limpiar%20Cabo%20San%20Lucas
Celebrities: Robin Thicke and Angie Everhart were among the people stranded by Hurricane Odile. They were reportedly flown to Mexico City Tuesday with the help of a military aircraft.
Source: http://www.tmz.com
Cabo San Lucas Marina: The marina suffered only minor damage.
Winter Season: The hurricane hit during low season, but there are concerns it could jeopardize the high-volume winter season. To that end, tourism officials will meet with industry leaders in New York next week to discuss ways to salvage the season.
Source: http://www.bcsnoticias.mx/intentan-salvar-temporada-invernal-en-los-cabos/
Supplies: Residents report that glass and wood is starting to arrive so that people can close or board up their homes.