Catemaco weather

The rainy season on the Veracruz Gulf Coast is in full swing now, and as usual, dozens of communities are innundated and isolated, major roads are breached, bridges are washed away and the civil defense forces are having a field day.

Apart from the rain, most of the annual problems stem directly from poor planning, inadequate construction techniques, and corrupt road builders from hell.

The Mexican national weather service apparently ran out of money 10 or more years ago and is only maintaining statistics on rainfall in  major cities. So noone really knows how much rain has fallen in Catemaco and Los Tuxtlas.

Anecdotally, the owner of the Hotel Tepetapan claims 4 inches in his rain gauge in the last 2 days. Other tell signs are how many fishing boats are parked on the Malecon sidewalk, and how many big rocks have washed down from the hills in front of the La Ceiba restaurant.

The best indicator, though is the dock leading to the La Panga bar in the laguna. If the dock is flooded, then we had some major rains. So far, I can still walk across with dry feet. Therefore the rains locally have not been that heavy.

Nevertheless, within the last week, the Toro Prieto bridge washed away, the new coast road at Playa Hermosa was cut, the new road from Catemaco to Montepio was destroyed in 2 places, and the road from Catemaco to Zapoapan swallowed a tractor trailer. The road to Las Margaritas is flooded as usual and the village is drowning and clamoring for their yearly relief package.

The hydroelectric plant and its dams in Tepetapan actually control the water level of the lake, and after letting it rise for more than 3 feet within a week, finally relented and opened the sluice gates so my feet would not get wet crossing to La Panga.

I am still waiting for the BIG rains.

Foto: Politica en Los Tuxtlas