Puerto Vallarta officials assess damage after heavy rains

Puerto Vallarta Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña toured the areas affected by heavy rains that was recorded late Sunday night, where staff from different areas of the City Council immediately went to carry out cleaning work and support the population where required.

Accompanied by municipal officials, the mayor noted the actions taking place for the removal of materials on Highway 200 towards Mismaloya, in the south zone of Puerto Vallarta, where there were at least 19 landslides, as well as the fall of trees that obstructed the road, obstructing vehicular passage.

He also traveled the road that goes from Paso Ancho to Ejido El Jorullo, which were hit with landslides at various points, preventing the vehicular passage in some areas. With support of machinery dispatched by the city, a lane was enabled to allow the road traffic to flow in the area while the cleaning work is completed. In this area, two cars were damaged by landslides and rocks from the hillside, so the government will seek to support their owners as much as possible in the loss of their vehicles.

The mayor also toured some streets downtown and the colony 5 de Diciembre, where flood waters left mud and rocks. Later, they visited colony Agua Azul, where there was also a landslide along Rio Nazas Street, in addition to reviewing some damage to courtyards of two dwellings in the area caused by the landslide.

In the neighborhood of Santa Maria, the creek of the same name was overflowed, which left large amounts of mud on the Libramiento and Avenida Francisco Villa, where work was being carried out to clean the streets by Public Works, Civil Protection and Firefighters.

Likewise, some flooding of the colonies near the streams La Virgen, El Contentillo and El Zarco were attended.

The deputy director of Civil Protection and Firefighters, Adrián Bobadilla García, indicated that in some parts of the city, they registered up to 70 millimeters of rain, an intense that was maintained for more than two hours.

He pointed out that the most intense rain was recorded from the Portales area towards the southern part of the municipality, while in Ixtapa, although intense, its duration was shorter.

In the case of the landslides, he explained that these are due to the slopes loaded with water and there could be more landslides if rains continue. He added that there are some reports of damages also to homes, which were still being located, however all recorded damages were material. He recommended that those who live in risky areas take precautions and if necessary, move to a safe place, to a family member’s house, during the rains to avoid exposure and follow the recommendations of the authorities.