2013-09-23

Ingrid & Manuel: Worst disaster in Mexico’s history

Luis Melgosa

A week after the devastating simultaneous landfall of Hurricane Ingrid on the Gulf coast, and Tropical Storm Manuel on the Pacific coast –and the second hit of Manuel, this time as a hurricane, earlier this week–, Mexico has declared that the damages caused by these two storms are the worst disaster suffered by the country, ever.

Most of the international media attention has been focused on Acapulco, due to its global recognition; however, countless localities throughout the country suffered even worse damages. Mexico’s armed forces, federal police and the Mexican Red Cross have yet to reach by land all those affected by these storms. The ongoing bad weather has downed at least one Blackhawk helicopter, killing its crew of five federal policemen.

There is an immediate need for ongoing help, it will take months for most of the victims to regain some stability.

Most retailers in Mexico are accepting donations at the registers, including Soriana, Mega and Comercial Mexicana, Chedraui, Walmart and Costco, and other members of the National Retailers Association (ANTAD for its Spanish initials). Feel free to ask your retailer of choice if they are accepting donations.

Walmart is also receiving non-perishable foods and cleaning supplies donations, and matching the donations pound for pound.

Banamex, the Mexican Citi Bank subsidiary, established special account 115 (branch 100) to receive donations which the bank will match peso for peso, donations to this account may be made at any Banamex branch. You may also transfer from other Mexican banks using CLABE: 002 180 010 000 000 154. The account is in the name of Fomento Social Banamex, A.C.

If you want to donate to the above account from abroad or through your foreign bank:

BANK: CITIBANK N.Y. U.S.A. NEW YORK, N.Y. ABA 021000089 SWIFT

CODE: CITIUS33 ACCOUNT: 36206844 BENEFICIARY: DIVISION FIDUCIARIA

Deposit Details: FFC Contrato No. / Cliente FIDEICOMISO

Puerto Vallarta’s DIF, the governmental agency in charge of family protection, in Barrio Santa Maria, is receiving non-perishable foods and personal hygiene supplies donations through Thursday from 8:30 through 5PM.

Wednesday and Thursday, DIF personnel will also receive these donations at Plaza Marina, Ley Department Store, Plaza Caracol and Soriana Playa de Oro from 11AM through 5PM.

A constantly updated list of donation centers and ways to help is at http://www.sumateya.org/

To donate directly to the Mexican Red Cross:

Cruz Roja Mexicana account 0404 0404 06 at BBVA Bancomer (branch 683), you may make a deposit to that account at any Bancomer branch.

To transfer money from other Mexican banks to the Mexican Red

Cross’ account in Bancomer, use CLABE: 012180004040404062.

For transfers from abroad, this is what your bank needs:

Account holder: Cruz Roja Mexicana

Account # 0404040406

Bank: BBVA Bancomer

Branch: 683

Branch Address: Mexico D.F., Palmas, Plaza Mexico SWIFT/BIC Code:

BCMRMXMMPYM

Aside from the immediate need for food and shelter, the cash donations will help rebuild homes and infrastructure, as well as to reactivate productive employment sources.

The official death toll is now 110. The actual number of casualties is probably much higher; there is at least one particular locality that was largely swallowed by a major landslide, 68 of its 475 inhabitants have been officially declared missing because their bodies have yet to be recovered.

Never before so many in so many places needed so much from us.

Please help. As much as you can, when you can. Every item and every peso count.

The post Ingrid & Manuel: Worst disaster in Mexico’s history appeared first on Mexi-Go! Connecting Mexico to Canada with information on travel, retirement and real estate.

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