Floodwaters rush past a convenience store, still open, in Guaymas Tuesday night
A man taps on the window of a flooded car on a Guaymas street, to see if anyone's insideThis morning on the local internet forum Viva San Carlos I found links to videos showing some of the damage done by Julio the bad boy tropical storm, in our neighboring city of Guaymas on Monday and Tuesday. I was grumbling about a few drips here and there in my house in San Carlos. In Guaymas there are people driven from their homes, people who can't drive their cars down the ruined streets. Guymas is situated at the base of several hills, and the force of the water running through town is formidable. I don't know yet whether there were casualties (what an odd word for death and injury--casualties? As if there were anything casual about it).
I have three friends in Guaymas, and I'm wondering how they are doing. Two live in elevated areas of the town, but the other, my amiga Ale, I'm not sure about. I hope she and her husband are OK.
And if Guaymas was hard hit, how much worse must it be in Empalme, where an ordinary rain will leave lakes in parts of downtown? The government aid agency ISSSTE led by Ana Sofía de Claussen and the governor's wife, Lourdes Laborin de Bours, are directing efforts to help flood victims in Empalme and Guaymas, according to "Expresso" (also from Hermosillo). And here in San Carlos Mike at the Captain's Club is collecting clothing, furniture and household needs for sixteen displaced families.