On August 28 and 29, Jalisco received Hurricane Nora, which caused significant damage in 25 municipalities of the state, and in more than 1,156 houses.
Of these 100 were affected in Puerto Vallarta, and 300 shops in this town were also damaged. Losses in homes and businesses amount to 69 million pesos, and 34 schools in the municipalities of Cihuatlán, Tomatlán, Cabo Corrientes, Techaluta de Montenegro and Puerto Vallarta were affected.
The Declaration of Emergency covers aspects of basic support to the population in the event of natural disasters, while in the Declaration of Natural Disasters the federation grants resources that cover damage to infrastructure. The State Government will make the request officially on September 17 and hopes that the federation will make the Declaration of Natural Disasters in order to access resources that allow the repair of damage to highways, roads, bridges, among others.
The Government of Jalisco awaits the response of the Government of the Republic to make the Declaration of Natural Disasters in 25 municipalities of Jalisco and be able to address the damage to infrastructure left by Hurricane Nora after its passage through the entity, said Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez. He further explained that, despite the Declaration of Emergency having been made by the federation, it does not cover the effects on highways, roads and bridges.
“This is part of what we are trying to solve with the federation, and I think it also gives us a dimension of the effort that has been made to date. The calculation goes to date at 542 million pesos in infrastructure, that is why I told you yesterday that we were already above 500 million, obviously this completely escapes the budgetary capacity that we have in the State, because this also helps us to explain that the FOEDEN is destined for the patrimony that people lost, but this is strictly infrastructure,” Alfaro Ramírez explained.
The Governor said that the actions to support the population are still in force, and that the actions to clean up and connect communities are working with what is available, but the fund and investment work in terms of infrastructure to address damage to highways, etc., will need the participation of the federation.
In case of not receiving support from the federation, the Governor said that Jalisco would make use of catastrophic insurance that protects different items that may be affected such as: roads and pavements, hydraulic infrastructure, bridges, and support for the population to repair housing.
The Secretary General of the Government, Enrique Ibarra Pedroza, explained that the Emergency Declaration, recently published by the federation, contemplates basic aid to the population, while the Declaration of Natural Disasters, which is pending publication, covers infrastructure issues.
"What do the emergency declarations consist of? In that the Federal Government makes the commitment to send support material to the 1,156 houses that you mainly saw here in matters of some household items… The State Government with every opportunity through the SSAS and through the DIF has already provided that coverage in the affected houses. The declaration of disasters is the next step, which is the one that is pending, which is for the infrastructure with the support that the federation will have to give,” said Ibarra Pedroza.
The affected municipalities are: Autlán de Navarro, Ameca, Atenguillo, Atoyac, Cabo Corrientes, Casimiro Castillo, Cihuatlán, Cuautitlán de GB, Ejutla, El Limón, El Grullo, La Huerta, Mascota, Mixtlán, Puerto Vallarta, San Gabriel, Santa María del Oro, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Tomatlán, Talpa de Allende, Teocuitatlán de Corona, Villa Purificación, Zapopan, Zapotlán el Grande, and Tonalá.