State of Emergency in Cozumel...We need an Ark!

[Christi]

Just thought many may be interested to know if you don't already, that Cozumel is underwater.

I finally made it home about an hour ago because I couldn't get back to the island. I went to the mainland Saturday morning on the first ferry, planning to come back in the afternoon or early today. After the steady rain all day and nght Friday, the skies looked like they were clearing up Saturday morning at daybreak. I was very wrong. Tropical storm 2 started up about 8:00 am Saturday morning and didn't stop until this afternoon.

Cozumel just experienced the heaviest rainfall and most severe flooding in 30 years. We had 2 tropical storms back to back dropping 30" in less than 48 hours. This storm is more severe than hurricane Gilbert in terms of rainfall and flooding.

Some hotels are completely closed, others are full with locals who have lost everything and an emergency state has been declared for Cozumel.

I was very, very lucky. The water was up to my doorstep according to neighbors, but no water inside. However, I have several friends including one of my crew members who suffered severely from this storm.

The airport is closed for the next 2 or 3 days and streets are still flooded with floating debris and vehicles.

The GOOD news is that the rain has stopped.

I will keep you posted as I can. Power, telephone and internet service is sporadic right now.

Sorry for the bad news...

 

[DiverG]

Christi, I'll be in Cozumel in July. Can you let me know of anything I could do to help out. Like any supplies that may be needed etc.

 

[DanL]

Christi,
Nice seeing you again at Casa Denis with the Scubaboard groupthe other night.
We left Coz Sat AM - it really was a wet Friday and Saturday. Sorry to hear about all the problems. Hope all goes well as everyone tries to recover.
Best wishes,
Dan

 

[texas-buzzard]

thanks for the post Christi, we will be diving with you next week(i hope). yall don't need all that rain, send it to san angelo. we are squeezing cactus here lol.

 

[The Chairman]

Christi,

Our thoughts and prayers will be with you and the other Cozumelians. Stay safe!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Christi,
Nice seeing you again at Casa Denis with the Scubaboard groupthe other night.
We left Coz Sat AM - it really was a wet Friday and Saturday. Sorry to hear about all the problems. Hope all goes well as everyone tries to recover.
Best wishes,
Dan

DanL it was nice meeting you at Casa Denis Thur nite. We left the next morning I guess we got out just in time.

Christi sorry to hear about all the flooding. I wish there was something we could do to help. Please keep us posted.

You all are in our thoughts.

 

[ggunn]

Just thought many may be interested to know if you don't already, that Cozumel is underwater.

You know, when I posted the "Rainy day in Cozumel" thread on Friday, I thought what I was seeing on the satellite photo looked a bit more serious than your description of conditions. When I went back to the image history, I saw that Cozumel at that time had been in a little bubble of gray but surrounded by a huge orange area that indicated very cold cloud top temperatures which usually means very heavy rain.

Thanks for the info; I will pass it along to folks I know who have friends on the island so we can check on them. I am glad to hear that you came through it relatively unscathed and my heart goes out to the families who were not so lucky.

Keep us posted, OK?

 

[zboss]

This seems to be happening more regularly in the caribbean this year... first the BVI in December, then the Dominican Republic, now Coz.