Nearly 3,000 people evacuated in Puerto Vallarta

Between two thousand and three thousand are estimated to have been evacuated in Puerto Vallarta, according to estimates by municipal authorities; however, the capacity of shelters in the area can accommodate 6,000 if needed, according to Mayor Arturo Dávalos.

“We are asking the hotels that are in the tourist strip to evacuate tourists, also evacuate staff from now on to avoid some misfortune, we have already set up shelters, we have ready three shelters and 23 that we can open in the municipality.”

They are also evacuating the farms that are in mountainous areas, on the slopes of the hills and in the vicinity of streams and rivers to prevent losses due to overflows or landslides.

The three shelters enabled so far are those located at the Tecnológico de Puerto Vallarta , at Cecytej and at secondary school 132 , where there is a joint capacity for 1,500 people. These places already have provisions, cots and mats to receive people. When Civil Protection indicates they will start to open more shelters, said Dávalos.

The mayor indicated that businessmen have agreed to avoid activities in the tourist strip, in the bay, and on the beach, in addition, the hotels were asked to remove all the objects that are on the beach such as umbrellas, tables or chairs, since they could be considered as projectiles if the winds and waves increase.

It was also recommended to protect with windows in hotels, restaurants, and shops in the area closest to the sea.

At the moment the drainage and drinking water network works normally and the electric power is still enabled, unless a disconnection by the Federal Electricity Commission is required; and also the airport and bus stations are operational.

“We have followed the hurricane ‘Willa’, which fortunately is moving away from here of Bahía de Banderas and now the landfall is expected in Nayarit North and Sinaloa South, according to the forecasts, let’s hope that remains. “