Chamela: the village that hurricane Patricia swept away

The 50 families that live in Chamela, Jalisco, lost everything they had after hurricane Patricia landed on their small fishing village located 160 kilometers (99 miles) south of Puerto Vallarta.

The same happened in 2011, when Jova hit the same region, though this time damages were worse.

“At least Jova left a roof over our heads, this one didn't leave anything behind,” said Griselda, while salvaging her belongings from the mud.

Since Saturday workers are trying to clear the way from Puerto Vallara to Cihuatlán, the municipality to which Chamela belongs. However, due to the fallen trees and landslides, it takes up to six hours to drive through the 240 kilometers (149 miles).

In Barra de Navidad, two hotels are at risk of collapse.

Francisco de Asis Silva, researcher at the University of Guadalajara, said that the geotubes and the artificial reef placed along the beach after Jova in 2011 reduced the strength of waves.

“Otherwise the sea would have destroyed everything,” he explained.

Nonetheless, hurricane Patricia caused less damages than feared. The affected states were Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán and Nayarit.

In Michoacán the hurricane destroyed 2,000 hectares of banana plantations, causing losses for 500 millon pesos (US$30.16 million), as well as 150 hectares of papaya plantations.

Also, it destroyed 400 houses in Coahuayana, and left floods in Boca de Apiza and San Vicente, where at least 250 families are staying in shelters.

In Guerrero Patricia damaged three restaurants in Barra de Potosí, downed electricity lines in the municipality of El Coacoyoul and caused landslides in the highway from Atoyac to El Paraíso.

The airports of Puerto Vallarta, Tepic and Colima have been reopened, as well as the ports of Lázaro Cárdenas and Puerto Vallarta.

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) informed that Patricia affected 235,528 users and added that until yesterday noon, 50% of the service had been restored.

(With information from Pierre-Marc René, Raúl Torres, Juan Cervantes and Carlos Ángel Arrieta)