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Mexico

President Zedillo ordered the coordinated efforts of Government agencies to bring medicine and provisions to flood victims in Veracruz

Press Release 1800

Poza Rica

We will not fail the families affected by the rains in Veracruz

  • President Zedillo visited the areas of Veracruz affected by rain and headed the evaluation of aid measures.
  • More than 20 Government agencies are coordinating their efforts to bring support to these regions.
  • It is untrue that flooding was produced by dams.
  • A total of 100,000 liters of drinking water and 80 tons of medicines have been distributed, and 102 medical brigades have arrived in Veracruz.
  • More military personnel, land, air and river equipment will provide support for affected areas and bring aid to isolated communities.

President Ernesto Zedillo visited flooded areas in Poza Rica, Veracruz, and headed a work meeting in the affected area.

As he visited flooded areas to supervise aid work and hear victims' demands, President Ernesto Zedillo ordered virtually all sectors of the Federal, state and municipal governments to rapidly and efficiently coordinate their efforts to overcome this emergency and normalize conditions in Veracruz. Since it is necessary to work in various areas at the same time, more military and civil personnel will be sent to reinforce support measures in the affected zones; the President also commented that "we will not fail these people".

In line with President Zedillo's instructions, personnel and equipment from the Departments of National Defense, the Navy, Public Education, Energy, the Interior, Social Development, the Environment, Natural Resources and Fishery, and from the National Water Commission, the Federal Electricity Commission, Diconsa, the Mexican Social Security Institute and the National System for Family Integration, are being used to offset this situation. The Heads of these agencies informed President Zedillo of the measures implemented to aid flood victims.

Dr. Zedillo pointed out that this disaster is similar to the one that affected Chiapas last year; it has caused severe damage to roads and to drinking water and electricity systems; the main problem presently concerns the isolation of small communities.

He explained that this situation has obliged us to prioritize, as we did when hurricane Paulina struck. This means bringing aid to those whose lives are in danger; helping people who have lost family members; providing shelter for 26,500 people in Poza Rica; making a register of damaged homes and reestablishing basic services.

During the evaluation meeting, the Governor of Veracruz, Miguel Alemán Velasco, explained that the aid coverage provided by coordinated efforts of the three Government levels has focused on 81 affected municipalities and the families of 493 districts, where 102 medical brigades are currently providing assistance to prevent epidemics.

In conjunction with the Departments of National Defense, the Navy and the state government, air and maritime bridges have been established to bring provisions, medicines and water to isolated communities. During the night, three Hercules aircraft brought 100,000 liters of water to Poza Rica.

Progress has also been made with state highway networks; 22 stretches of road have been affected and eleven bridges have collapsed. Likewise, 13 rivers and Tamiahua Lagoon have all overflowed their banks; 84,650 people are homeless; 76 people have died, 59 are missing; 34 people have been rescued by boat and 1,131, by aircraft.

The Secretary of Communications and Transportation, Carlos Ruiz Sacristán, commented that, although six sections of federal highway have been damaged, four have now been reopened to traffic. A total of 22 sections of the Poza Rica-Veracruz highway were damaged, and repair work is underway in both directions. Secretary Ruiz also expressed his concern at the damage to rural roads.

The Director of the National Water Commission, Guillermo Guerrero Villalobos, remarked that exceptionally intense rainfall has affected local water levels and led to faster than normal run-off.

He also pointed out that it is untrue that flooding was caused by regional dams; furthermore, the water flowing out of local reservoirs does not reach the Cazones River.

After explaining that, during a three day period, an average of 75 centimeters of rain fell in this area, Mr. Guerrero Villalobos commented that the storage capacity of the Necaxa hydroelectric system stands at 200 million cubic meters; total rainfall produced a volume of 3.5 billion cubic meters.

Alfredo Elías Ayub, Director of the Federal Electricity Commission, remarked that initial efforts have centered on reestablishing the electricity service; however, he added that it has been extremely difficult to restore this service in heavily flooded areas.

Mr. Ayub explained that electricity generation plants were airlifted into Gutiérrez Zamora to supply hospital centers; approximately 800,000 users have been affected and work is currently under way to restore electricity to affected communities.

The Under Secretary of Health, José Narro Robles, mentioned that 80 tons of medicines were sent to Veracruz for distribution in two centers; 30 tons were sent to Jalapa and 50 tons to Poza Rica. Furthermore, 400 additional workers have been mobilized to form a hundred medical brigades. Products have also been distributed to disinfect water and prevent epidemics.

Mr. Narro reaffirmed the Government's commitment to continue working to overcome this emergency and announced that programs will be created to support this and other regions of Mexico affected by torrential rain.