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Hurricane Patricia Loses Power as Mexico Assesses Damage Hurricane Patricia Loses Power as Mexico Assesses Damage
(about 4 hours later)
EL NARANJO, Mexico — The woman stepped into the street to survey her home, whose roof had been shorn from its cinder block base overnight.EL NARANJO, Mexico — The woman stepped into the street to survey her home, whose roof had been shorn from its cinder block base overnight.
Her village had been in the direct path of Hurricane Patricia, which officials called the strongest storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere. All around her, there was a tableau of destruction: trees, electricity cables and debris from homes strewn across the street.Her village had been in the direct path of Hurricane Patricia, which officials called the strongest storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere. All around her, there was a tableau of destruction: trees, electricity cables and debris from homes strewn across the street.
“I built this house little by little, with so much difficulty, and look how it turned out,” said the woman, Rosario Preciado, 70, who was inside her home when the roof began to separate. “It cost me $300 to put on that roof tile.”“I built this house little by little, with so much difficulty, and look how it turned out,” said the woman, Rosario Preciado, 70, who was inside her home when the roof began to separate. “It cost me $300 to put on that roof tile.”
“You know when I’m going to raise that money again?” she asked. “Not for a long time.”“You know when I’m going to raise that money again?” she asked. “Not for a long time.”
Hurricane Patricia roared to life in the warm waters over the Pacific, building in intensity so quickly that many were caught off guard. As it approached the coast, it packed winds in excess of 200 m.p.h. Mexico’s government declared a state of emergency in dozens of municipalities in the states of Colima, Nayarit and Jalisco, and thousands of people took refuge in shelters across the region.Hurricane Patricia roared to life in the warm waters over the Pacific, building in intensity so quickly that many were caught off guard. As it approached the coast, it packed winds in excess of 200 m.p.h. Mexico’s government declared a state of emergency in dozens of municipalities in the states of Colima, Nayarit and Jalisco, and thousands of people took refuge in shelters across the region.
But initial reports on Saturday suggested that the impact of the storm was not as severe as many had feared, and there was no word of deaths caused by the hurricane.But initial reports on Saturday suggested that the impact of the storm was not as severe as many had feared, and there was no word of deaths caused by the hurricane.
Like many residents of the small villages like Naranjo that dot the Pacific coastline of Mexico, Mrs. Preciado had braced for the worst. On Saturday she was relieved that no one in her village had been seriously hurt. Like many residents of the small villages like El Naranjo that dot the Pacific coastline of Mexico, Mrs. Preciado had braced for the worst. On Saturday she was relieved that no one in her village had been seriously hurt.
The hurricane spared the densely populated centers of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo; it appears to have done the most damage to small villages between the two cities. For many in these impoverished communities, it could take much time to recover from even moderate damage. The hurricane spared the densely populated centers of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo; it appears to have done the most damage to villages between the two cities. For many in these impoverished communities, it could take much time to recover from even moderate damage.
Paul Zúñiga, 42, lives in the fishing village of La Manzanilla, just 25 miles southeast of where the hurricane’s eye passed over the coast Friday evening.Paul Zúñiga, 42, lives in the fishing village of La Manzanilla, just 25 miles southeast of where the hurricane’s eye passed over the coast Friday evening.
“I lived on the coast my whole life,” said Mr. Zúñiga, a builder, speaking by phone, “and I have seen a lot of hurricanes. But this was terrible. It wasn’t the water, it was the wind. Oh yes, the sound was very strong, it whistled a lot and in many different ways.”“I lived on the coast my whole life,” said Mr. Zúñiga, a builder, speaking by phone, “and I have seen a lot of hurricanes. But this was terrible. It wasn’t the water, it was the wind. Oh yes, the sound was very strong, it whistled a lot and in many different ways.”
For about three hours his family huddled in the house waiting for the storm to pass. He had brought his mother and grandmother to his home to wait out the storm, worried that their house was too fragile to withstand the winds. To prepare, he taped up his windows and moved his cars and his horse into the garage. During the storm, a glass door shattered, exploding shards all over the house. But otherwise his house remained intact.For about three hours his family huddled in the house waiting for the storm to pass. He had brought his mother and grandmother to his home to wait out the storm, worried that their house was too fragile to withstand the winds. To prepare, he taped up his windows and moved his cars and his horse into the garage. During the storm, a glass door shattered, exploding shards all over the house. But otherwise his house remained intact.
It was much worse for his neighbors. “All the tin and tiled roofs flew off,” he said.It was much worse for his neighbors. “All the tin and tiled roofs flew off,” he said.
It was a scene repeated up and down the coast, as nervous residents and frazzled tourists awoke to flooded roads and widespread power failures. Rescue workers were sent up and down the western coast to assess the damage. It was a scene repeated up and down the coast, as nervous residents and frazzled tourists awoke to flooded roads and widespread power failures. Rescue workers were sent to assess the damage.
In the community of Chavarin, another of the small villages along the route north of Manzanillo, flooding was the major culprit. The Marabasco River, which flows beside the village, surged during the storm and claimed property and land.In the community of Chavarin, another of the small villages along the route north of Manzanillo, flooding was the major culprit. The Marabasco River, which flows beside the village, surged during the storm and claimed property and land.
Diego Camacho, a 19-year-old living there, said the waters had swept away nine of his horses. Despite being visibly upset, Mr. Camacho shrugged when asked about the damage.Diego Camacho, a 19-year-old living there, said the waters had swept away nine of his horses. Despite being visibly upset, Mr. Camacho shrugged when asked about the damage.
“We have survived worse things,” he said.“We have survived worse things,” he said.
Luis Felipe Puente, the director of Mexico’s civil protection agency, said Saturday that there were no reports of deaths.  In a telephone interview as he was traveling to Manzanillo to begin a tour of the hardest-hit villages along the coast, he said his reports included some from remote villages in the mountains where there had been fears of mudslides.  Even so, President Enrique Peña Nieto warned late Friday night, “We still can’t lower our guard.” Luis Felipe Puente, the director of Mexico’s civil protection agency, said Saturday that there were no reports of deaths.  In a telephone interview as he was traveling to Manzanillo to begin a tour of the hardest-hit areas along the coast, he said his reports included some from remote mountain villages where there had been fears of mudslides.
As the hurricane moved inland it weakened. But the authorities warned that heavy rains could still cause landslides and flash flooding as far away as Texas. One reason there was apparently no loss of life was that people paid attention to the warnings. Schools shut down, stores and businesses closed and people stayed indoors or moved to shelters. When trees and lampposts fell, there was nobody outside.
“The final result is a recognition that everybody paid attention,” Mr. Puente said.
He also noted that the storm lost much of its force when it made landfall and turned away from heavily populated areas.
“This isn’t in the hands of man, it’s in the hands of nature,” Mr. Puente said.
Roberto Sandoval, the governor of Nayarit, said that with the storm’s detour, Mexico avoided a catastrophe, calling it “a work of God.”
As the storm moved inland it weakened. But the authorities warned that heavy rains could still cause landslides and flash flooding as far away as Texas.
“Many hillsides can weaken and collapse with Hurricane Patricia’s rain. Watch out!” warned Mexico’s civil protection agency.“Many hillsides can weaken and collapse with Hurricane Patricia’s rain. Watch out!” warned Mexico’s civil protection agency.
The eye of the storm made landfall on Friday around 6:15 p.m. local time near Cuixmala in Jalisco State, in southwest Mexico. While powerful, the storm was compact, with the highest winds felt only about 35 miles from its center. The eye of the storm made landfall on Friday around 6:15 p.m. near Cuixmala in Jalisco State, in southwest Mexico. While powerful, the storm was compact, with the highest winds felt only within about 35 miles of its center.
As it slammed into the coast, the storm was still firmly within the Category 5 range, with winds topping 165 m.p.h., strong enough to lift cars from the street, tear the roofs off house and pull trees up from their roots. But it quickly lost force, slowing to about 130 m.p.h. before 10 p.m.As it slammed into the coast, the storm was still firmly within the Category 5 range, with winds topping 165 m.p.h., strong enough to lift cars from the street, tear the roofs off house and pull trees up from their roots. But it quickly lost force, slowing to about 130 m.p.h. before 10 p.m.
By 1 a.m. Saturday it had been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with winds of about 100 m.p.h., and by early Saturday morning it was downgraded further, to a tropical depression, with winds below 50 m.p.h. By 1 a.m. Saturday it had been downgraded to a Category 2 storm, with winds of about 100 m.p.h., and by Saturday morning it was downgraded further, to a tropical depression, with winds below 50 m.p.h.
One local resident, Jesús Alejandro del Angel Ruiz, 22, took advantage of a lull in the wind and rain Friday night to step out of his home in the Tapeixtles section of Manzanillo and survey the damage. He found fallen trees, branches, light poles — and two of his neighbors’ roofs. One local resident, Jesús Alejandro del Ángel Ruiz, 22, took advantage of a lull in the wind and rain Friday night to step out of his home in the Tapeixtles section of Manzanillo and survey the damage. He found fallen trees, branches, light poles and two of his neighbors’ roofs.
“This area we live in gets flooded and that’s what this hurricane left: floods,” Mr. del Angel said. “A few zinc roofs went flying. The storm lifted them off, even though they had been secured. The storm had the strength to just lift them.” “This area we live in gets flooded and that’s what this hurricane left: floods,” Mr. del Ángel said. “A few zinc roofs went flying. The storm lifted them off, even though they had been secured. The storm had the strength to just lift them.”
He said a Category 1 storm that hit the area in 2011 left much heavier damage. It appears that improvements to drainage canals after that storm and the government’s efforts to evacuate vulnerable areas this time paid off, he said.He said a Category 1 storm that hit the area in 2011 left much heavier damage. It appears that improvements to drainage canals after that storm and the government’s efforts to evacuate vulnerable areas this time paid off, he said.
Although Mr. del Angel’s neighborhood was flooded, several other areas that are usually swamped during storms were dry on Friday night.
“There were moments last night that the winds were a bit strong and the sound it made was really ugly,” Mr. del Angel, a communications student, said Saturday. “It was surprising that nothing more happened.”
The governor of Jalisco, Aristóteles Sandoval, speaking at a news conference from Puerto Vallarta, said that there was no “irreparable” damage but that there had been “severe infrastructure damages.”The governor of Jalisco, Aristóteles Sandoval, speaking at a news conference from Puerto Vallarta, said that there was no “irreparable” damage but that there had been “severe infrastructure damages.”
The roads were blocked in many areas by downed trees and other debris, making it hard to assess the damage.The roads were blocked in many areas by downed trees and other debris, making it hard to assess the damage.
“We still need to be alert,” he told reporters.“We still need to be alert,” he told reporters.
The National Weather Service office in Brownsville, Tex., issued flood warnings for South Texas communities likely to be hit by heavy rains through Sunday. In Brownsville, Tex., the National Weather Service issued flood warnings for South Texas communities likely to be hit by heavy rains through Sunday.
In North Texas, near Corsicana, a 64-car Union Pacific freight train derailed before dawn on Saturday after heavy flooding washed away a section of the track.In North Texas, near Corsicana, a 64-car Union Pacific freight train derailed before dawn on Saturday after heavy flooding washed away a section of the track.
No one was hurt but two crew members were forced to safety when a section of the derailed train became submerged in the rising waters, according to local authorities.No one was hurt but two crew members were forced to safety when a section of the derailed train became submerged in the rising waters, according to local authorities.
In Manzanillo, the damage appeared modest in comparison with the harder hit villages to the north. In Manzanillo, the damage appeared modest compared with the toll on villages to the north.
The city’s port, built in 1531 and believed to be among the first in all of Latin America, did not appear to suffer significant damage.The city’s port, built in 1531 and believed to be among the first in all of Latin America, did not appear to suffer significant damage.
On Saturday, a few dozen workers milled around the port cleaning up trash and repairing damage from a metal bench and light pole that crashed onto the site. But at least some residents lost their homes, including those who could least afford it.
But while the port and general infrastructure of were relatively unscathed, at least some residents lost their homes, including those who could least afford it. On Saturday, two residents, Maria Guadalupe González Naranjo and Aleida Guadalupe Arredondo Burgos, commiserated over the loss of their houses.
Two residents, Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez Naranjo and Aleida Guadalupe Arredondo Burgos, sat together early Saturday morning to commiserate on the loss of their houses.
“The little we had was destroyed,” Ms. Naranjo said, seated in a stuffy room of a technical college that was functioning as a shelter in Manzanillo. “We hope the government supports us.”“The little we had was destroyed,” Ms. Naranjo said, seated in a stuffy room of a technical college that was functioning as a shelter in Manzanillo. “We hope the government supports us.”
Beyond the rebuilding, however, was a more immediate concern for Ms. Burgos: “That we’re going to live in the street.” Right now, Ms. Burgos said, her fear is that “we’re going to live in the street.”