More than 70 homes collapsed after landslide in Tijuana

Tijuana, Mexico (February 03, 2018) .- A landslide caused the destruction of around 70 homes southwest of Tijuana without reports of injuries. The slide of the hill dragged along houses, light poles, water pipes and drainage, as well as paved streets in just four hours, according to witnesses and municipal authorities.

The most severe landslide occurred between 10:00 pm on Friday and 02:00 am on Saturday, according to the director of Civil Protection, Rito Portugal.

“We are talking about a total of ​​70 homes totally destroyed,” he said. the official.

In a tour conducted by reporters of REFORMA newspaper on Saturday Feb. 3, witnesses stated that they noticed movements and cracks in the streets and main avenues for the last 15 days, so they notified the delegate of San Antonio de los Buenos, Maria Guadalupe Barrón Uribe, but did not obtain any answer or support whatsoever.

Municipal Civil Protection did notify dozens of houses that were at risk of collapse, placed red stamps on them, and families managed to leave in time between Friday night and Saturday morning.

“There was a very loud thunder,” said María Isabel González Ramos, “house were falling to pieces, there was wood, stones and cement all over the place since Monday, and things start getting worse by Tuesday, and Wednesday, the ground was literally sinking, until we could no longer enter or exit our house, we had to jump over the cracks in order to get our stuff out the house last night. ”

On Saturday morning, dozens of families were taking their belongings from their houses in Colonia Lomas del Rubí, just minutes before the landslide detroy them. Armchairs, beds, stoves, gas tanks, TV screens as well as pets and vehicles.

Patricia Hernández Sáenz, 40, mother of six children, who now spends the night in a tent, did not have time to take her furniture out of her house last night. She managed to get some clothing, personal documents and a tent, where she is currently spending the night with her family. Patricia is originally from Puebla.

“We told the delegate of San Antonio de los Buenos, that the land was sliding little by little”, Saénz mentioned.

For 25 years, Hernández Sáenz has lived in Colonia Lomas del Rubí and she never saw something like this.

Tijuana’s director of Civil Protection, Rito Portugal, stressed that Municipal Social Development will give 10 thousand pesos to each affected family so they can pay for the first month of rent.

Source: thebajapost.com