Hands On Disaster Response is now All Hands Volunteers

On November 17th Beca Howard and I traveled from Project Pisco to Villahermosa, Mexico to assess the damage of wide spread flooding in the states of Tabasco and Chiapas and the possibility of a HODR deployment.

After an extensive evaluation, based on the level of damage and the need for volunteer assistance in Villahermosa and the outlying communities, we have decided not to deploy a volunteer project.

The response from the Government of Mexico and state of Tabasco is efficient and comprehensive. The resiliency of the people affected by the flooding to clean out their homes and move forward is equally impressive.

Prior to our arrival most homes that were flooded had been cleaned out and were being lived in once again, less than one week since the floodwaters receded.

The utilities are on and amazingly 1/3 of the businesses in the portion of downtown Villahermosa that was flooded are already back open! Local officials and Mexico-based NGOs showed us around the hardest hit areas, allowing us to make a thorough assessment of the following:
Villahermosa:
• Downtown
• Gaviotas, Moral and Casa Blanca neighborhoods
• Outlying villages and farming communities: Lazaro Cardena, La Gloria, Felipe Galvan, 21 de Marzo, 16 de Septiembre and Santa Catalina
The municipality of Nacajuca:
• Nacajuca town center
• Farming communities: Poblado Sandial, Cruz de Sandial, Ejido Banderas, Ejido Cometa
.
The Mexican Ministry of Health and foundations like the Altius Foundation and are focusing on the medical needs. The Mexican army, UniRed and the Salvation Army are distributing food and water for the next few weeks as people fully get back on their feet.

Health centers are running and many schools have reopened, while the most damaged schools plan to open in about a month’s time. Estimates from government agencies, NGOs and the people of the affected areas are that within three month’s time home furnishings will be replaced and life will be back to normal.