MEXICO: Aid trickles in for flood victims of Tabasco

Although water levels have started to recede in the flood-stricken state of Tabasco, aerial views show devastated countryside areas on the outskirts of the state capital city of Villahermosa. These images showed the area resembling a huge lake with just the tops of roofs poking through. Aid has started to arrive to the town of Ocuilzapotlan, located on the outskirts of Villahermosa, where dozens of desperate people ran towards a landing helicopter. As volunteers helped to unload the desperately needed supplies, women cry inconsolably. Helicopter staff try to calm down dozens of people crying out for help. Livestock perch on isolated islands in the god-forsaken and bleak community of Dos Montes, located in the countryside, outside Villahermosa. Flood victim, Juan Hernandez, said that his community needs help. "Everything has sunk. They have forgotten about us. We can see that they distribute food everywhere, but they forget about us. Our houses are destroyed, we need help from the government," he said. Army officials estimated another 80,000 people were still trapped in flooded homes. Although nearly 40,000 people had been evacuated by army and navy teams in helicopters and boats, small communities, which are difficult to get to need help. Livestock can be seen on roofs and food is running out. So far one person has been reported dead. Tabasco Gov. Andres Granier said flood levels that had reached 19 feet (6 metres) at their peak were dropping on Sunday despite drizzling rain, and Conagua, the national water commission, said no rain was forecast for the next three days. Thousands of Tabascans fled by bus on Friday and Saturday to the neighbouring states of Veracruz and Campeche, and tempers frayed among those left as people hunted for relatives and fought over dwindling food and drinking water supplies. Others have decided to camp on motorways. Flood victim Hortensia Lopez, refuses to move her camp out of the way to allow trucks to pass by. "They wanted to move us, so that trucks could get through, but it's not fair. We have already camped out, so they should leave us alone. It's not so easy to set up camp and then take everything down." A supermarket in the state capital Villahermosa and several trucks were looted, and some stores ran out of goods, although water supply was being restored and army helicopters dropped food packages. Some eat fish and cook it in boiling oil in the worst flooding this low-lying region has seen in 50 years.

ITN Source | November 5, 2007

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