Hurricane Dean Hits Mexican Coast Near Majahual
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 08.21.07 | 9:13 AM ET
The first Category 5 hurricane to make landfall since Hurricane Andrew crushed South Florida in 1992 missed the megaresorts of Cancun by about 150 miles, instead pounding the coast near the Mexico/Belize border. The AP reports that Hurricane Dean’s winds reached 165 miles per hour. The area isn’t heavily populated nor is it as touristed as Cancun, but it does contain small hotels, the Costa Maya cruise ship port and the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Definitive reports on how those areas fared will come later, but Hurricane Dean’s intensity—it registered the third lowest pressure at landfall on record, according to the Washington Post—signals the potential for massive damage.
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Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
landa marik 08.21.07 | 12:15 PM ET
In 2000, I lived in Corozal to complete the Discount Club Promotion for tourist business in Belize granting 10% off to visitors. I spent 15 years flying in small planes to visit the islands. Lately, I supported the water taxi Association. I pray for my Belizean friends to people to continue strong after Dean H. will move out of the Maya Region. Find valuable information in 3 languages of these magnificent tourist spots in my travel discount book, “Maya Latin and Caribbean Routes, published in 2006 by Landa Marik.
TambourineMan 08.21.07 | 2:04 PM ET
Looks like Majahual took a direct hit, as expected. Thankfully, the military evacuated the entire coast yesterday. I doubt there’s much left of the town this morning. Many buildings are not concrete, and even if they are, I can’t imagine they could withstand that kind of punishment (160-plus-mph winds and 15-foot surge). Sadly, I suspect some of the few buildings still standing are at the hideous cruise ship complex, but I’m guessing the pier itself is gone. I don’t even wanna think about what’s become of El Placer to the north, and Xcalak to the south. The latter was completely destoryed once before, by Hurricane Janet in the 1950s.
Future:
This entire coast has been earmarked for massive resort devolopment by the Mexican government and the eco-crime syndicate known as FONATUR. Maybe this will put it off a few years. On the other hand, they could see it as a golden opportunity to start building. “Amigos, the land is clear. Today we begin the next Cancun!”
Check out MSNBC.com for a slide show of the devastation in Chetumal.
TambourineMan 08.21.07 | 5:39 PM ET
Update:
Perhaps “devastation” was too strong a word. Chetumal seems to have come through ok, considering Dean’s initial landfall strength.