Zipolite is a mess after Hurricane Carlotta

Zipolite is a mess after Hurricane Carlotta

Hurricane Carlotta hit Zipolite about 5:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. It slowed down as it approached the coast and we were battered for almost six hours. Today---two days later---Zipolite, Puerto Angel and the surrounding area is still with electricity or running water. There is quite a bit of damage to roofs, roads, trees, etc. Life is very uncomfortable at the moment. Hopefully in a few days or within a week power and water will be restored. 


Here's a video I shot shortly after the hurricane started. I ran to a concrete bathroom to protect myself as things started flying:

p0gue

Jun 17, 2012 6:53 PM
Posts:  243

1

Thanks for posting those, Im glad there was enough tequila to make it through the storm. How are you uploading videos? Are the roads clear to Pochutla? Cell phone service is still down, it seems. How do things look up and down the beach? How bad is the structural damage? Much salvage and cleanup work happening? Any visible response from the government? I have friends up at Shambhala, did you notice how things fared on that end of the beach and up on the hill? Any other news, pics or videos would be appreciated. There are many people waiting for news from Zipol.

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geriande

Jun 17, 2012 7:04 PM
Posts:  1,127

2

There are photos and a 45 minute video posted on the Puerto Escondido forum on www.tomzap.com Damage is horrific...mostly fallen trees, palapa restaurants destroyed (like what happened with Paulina in 1997) The video showed cleanup crews, buzz saws heard in the background. Mexicans being Mexicans they will put it all back together. Still, very sad.

sangroncito

Jun 17, 2012 7:08 PM
Posts:  197

3

pOgue, I left Zipolite a few hours ago and went to Puerto Escondido because it was just getting too uncomfortable in Zipolite. I was hot, dirty, tired, covered in bites, etc. The road is clear to Pochutla, although all roads are lined with fallen trees. Many beach huts, bars and other structures were damaged. The hurricane ended about midnight and the clean up and salvage started very early the next morning. I hardly saw any sign of the government before, during or after. The local people have pulled together to repair the mess. Shambala was badly hit, perhaps being the most visibly damaged property, with roofs torn off, lots of debris, etc. The news about Zipolite and that area has been very poor, with news stories focusing on larger places up the coast like Puerto Escondido (which also has damage, although it is less noticeable than in Zipo/Puerto Angel. Zipolite and Puerto Angel and that whole coastal area is really suffering without electricity and water. There are so many power lines down I can't imagine it taking any less than a week to restore. Also there's no cel phone reception or internet. Oh....and the massive rainfall brought thousands of singing frogs to life, so on top of all that discomfort it's impossible to sleep with all those frogs singing!

Edited by: sangroncito

Existem pequenos pedaços de terra onde o inferno não chega.

sangroncito

Jun 17, 2012 7:31 PM
Posts:  197

4

Meant to write in first post above that Zipolite and area is WITHOUT electricity and water......I haven's slept in days so excuse the typo.

Existem pequenos pedaços de terra onde o inferno não chega.

p0gue

Jun 17, 2012 9:54 PM
Posts:  243

5

Thanks, sangroncito. We can be happy no one was injured, I suppose. But that's a big blow to those folks. Im most familiar with the situation at Shambhala, and there, I know, the owner was struggling to stay afloat even before the storm. God knows how they will deal with this. Pauline took years to recover from, and that was when the owner was younger and not suffering from health issues. Even if they can repair, rebuild and replace everything to get up and running, it'll be a while before many tourists show up again.

Here's your chance, vagabond kids! If you've got more time than money, and you are wandering around Mexicolooking for something interesting to do, you can be a part of the reconstruction of Shambhala! Get in touch with those folks (I would say just show up, but that might be a bit premature until more news gets out) and I am pretty sure that you will be well fed, and given a free place to sleep. Learn palm thatch and other interesting construction techniques, help reconstruct one of the oldest still-operating hippy buddhist enclaves in Mexico! I may see you there. We just put up this Facebook page, maybe it'll come in handy.

https://www.facebook.com/shambhalavision

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sangroncito

Jun 18, 2012 5:28 AM
Posts:  197

6

Great idea, pOgue! The entire area is going to be suffering financially for a while. There's so much damage and so few visitors at the moment. I'm heading back as soon as the electricity is restored.

By the way, there were two casualties on the coast. Two children were killed when their house collapsed on top of them.

Edited by: sangroncito