Isla Mujeres News: 'Wilma May Be Costliest Disaster' Assoc. Press, Oct. 27, 11:24 pm
Wilma May Be Mexico's Costliest Disaster
By WILL WEISSERT
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 27, 2005; 11:24 PM
ISLA MUJERES, Mexico -- Mexico's Caribbean coastline took a beating from Hurricane Wilma, but the resort area's islands _ famous for their diving and snorkeling _ bore the brunt of the storm, with extensive damage to reefs and white-sand beaches.
Mexican insurance companies said Thursday that Wilma was likely to be the country's most costly disaster ever, with payments topping the $1.2 billion the industry dished out for 1988's Hurricane Gilbert.

Tourists stranded by hurricane Wilma's destruction camp out at the Merida airport, Mexico airport on Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005. Thousands of desperate tourists stranded for six days by Hurricane Wilma besieged airports and tour offices on Wednesday as officials faced evacuating 22,000 visitors with only 6,000 airline seats out of Cancun a day.(AP Photo/Hector Osnaya) (Hector Osnaya - AP)
A U.S. cruise ship was sent Thursday to the island of Cozumel to deliver aid and pick up any remaining stranded Americans, but most tourists appeared to have left the islands.
Even in Cancun, lines at makeshift airline ticket counters had nearly vanished, and there were only a few visitors enjoying the sun before heading home.
Mexican President Vicente Fox arrived in Cancun to discuss his plan to have 80 percent of the resort up and running by Dec. 15.
Fox bid farewell to departing tourists with the words "see you again soon," and then turned his attention to the local population, asking hotel owners not to lay off Cancun residents who rely on tourism for their livelihood.
"I'm asking you for zero unemployment," Fox said in a meeting with hotel operators. "I'm asking you not fire anyone, to keep them in their regular positions or use them in rebuilding."
The U.S. Embassy announced an extra $300,000 in aid for Wilma's victims.
"The recent natural disasters that have devastated parts of the United States and Mexico strengthened the cooperation and determination of our countries and governments to work together," said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza.
Yet, despite the signs of progress, many residents were left behind. On Isla Mujeres, people complained of limited access to drinking water and homes destroyed by high winds, waves and flooding.
Mexico's Environmental Department said Wilma ripped into coral reefs and damaged more than 1 million acres of trees on the Yucatan peninsula, creating fuel for possible forest fires in the upcoming dry season.
On Isla Mujeres, the surf dragged sand from the public beach across much of the island, blocking streets and filling homes and businesses with the snowy white grains.
Sailors shoveled the sand into 6-foot piles Thursday in an attempt to rescue one of the region's greatest assets _ brochures brag that the Mexican Caribbean's sugar-white beaches don't get hot in the sun.
In a sign that the tourism industry may be slow to recover, hotels were boarded up and there were no signs of reconstruction _ unlike in Cancun, where bulldozers are already clearing debris.

Tourists stranded by hurricane Wilma's destruction camp out at the Merida airport, Mexico airport on Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005. Thousands of desperate tourists stranded for six days by Hurricane Wilma besieged airports and tour offices on Wednesday as officials faced evacuating 22,000 visitors with only 6,000 airline seats out of Cancun a day.(AP Photo/Hector Osnaya) (Hector Osnaya - AP)
Hundreds waited in line with plastic jugs, hoping to get drinking water brought in by ferries. Helicopters flew in more aid, taking off from Cancun's bullring.
Fishermen on Isla Mujeres, north of Cozumel, said the storm scared away the fish. No sea life could be seen in the water near one shallow reef just offshore.
"The people here fish," said Jose Sanchez, a 61-year-old fisherman. "But now there aren't fish, so we don't do anything."
The storm put Marielle Hendriksen, a Netherlands native who has lived on the island for nearly five years, out of work. Her dive shop has closed until it can repair a dock that was blown away by Wilma's wind and waves.
But she said she was happy to see officials recovering the beaches' sand.
"It will take a lot of work and a lot of time, but some of the beaches can be recovered," she said.
Hendriksen was one of the few on the island who said they had received handouts of rice, beans and sugar. Many others complained they weren't getting bottled water or food, and a group of about 30 people were planning a protest.
The island's senior center was filled to the ceiling with bottled water and some food, but residents said local officials weren't distributing it.
Vivian Aurora, 41, said she hadn't received anything for days and only has a bit of rice, beans and dried fish for her three children.
Flor Maria Chavez, 52, got up before dawn to wait for the ferry to bring water.
"There isn't any water until the ferry brings the jugs," she said. "We don't have anything to drink."
By WILL WEISSERT
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 27, 2005; 11:24 PM
ISLA MUJERES, Mexico -- Mexico's Caribbean coastline took a beating from Hurricane Wilma, but the resort area's islands _ famous for their diving and snorkeling _ bore the brunt of the storm, with extensive damage to reefs and white-sand beaches.
Mexican insurance companies said Thursday that Wilma was likely to be the country's most costly disaster ever, with payments topping the $1.2 billion the industry dished out for 1988's Hurricane Gilbert.

Tourists stranded by hurricane Wilma's destruction camp out at the Merida airport, Mexico airport on Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005. Thousands of desperate tourists stranded for six days by Hurricane Wilma besieged airports and tour offices on Wednesday as officials faced evacuating 22,000 visitors with only 6,000 airline seats out of Cancun a day.(AP Photo/Hector Osnaya) (Hector Osnaya - AP)
A U.S. cruise ship was sent Thursday to the island of Cozumel to deliver aid and pick up any remaining stranded Americans, but most tourists appeared to have left the islands.
Even in Cancun, lines at makeshift airline ticket counters had nearly vanished, and there were only a few visitors enjoying the sun before heading home.
Mexican President Vicente Fox arrived in Cancun to discuss his plan to have 80 percent of the resort up and running by Dec. 15.
Fox bid farewell to departing tourists with the words "see you again soon," and then turned his attention to the local population, asking hotel owners not to lay off Cancun residents who rely on tourism for their livelihood.
"I'm asking you for zero unemployment," Fox said in a meeting with hotel operators. "I'm asking you not fire anyone, to keep them in their regular positions or use them in rebuilding."
The U.S. Embassy announced an extra $300,000 in aid for Wilma's victims.
"The recent natural disasters that have devastated parts of the United States and Mexico strengthened the cooperation and determination of our countries and governments to work together," said U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza.
Yet, despite the signs of progress, many residents were left behind. On Isla Mujeres, people complained of limited access to drinking water and homes destroyed by high winds, waves and flooding.
Mexico's Environmental Department said Wilma ripped into coral reefs and damaged more than 1 million acres of trees on the Yucatan peninsula, creating fuel for possible forest fires in the upcoming dry season.
On Isla Mujeres, the surf dragged sand from the public beach across much of the island, blocking streets and filling homes and businesses with the snowy white grains.
Sailors shoveled the sand into 6-foot piles Thursday in an attempt to rescue one of the region's greatest assets _ brochures brag that the Mexican Caribbean's sugar-white beaches don't get hot in the sun.
In a sign that the tourism industry may be slow to recover, hotels were boarded up and there were no signs of reconstruction _ unlike in Cancun, where bulldozers are already clearing debris.

Tourists stranded by hurricane Wilma's destruction camp out at the Merida airport, Mexico airport on Wednesday Oct. 26, 2005. Thousands of desperate tourists stranded for six days by Hurricane Wilma besieged airports and tour offices on Wednesday as officials faced evacuating 22,000 visitors with only 6,000 airline seats out of Cancun a day.(AP Photo/Hector Osnaya) (Hector Osnaya - AP)
Hundreds waited in line with plastic jugs, hoping to get drinking water brought in by ferries. Helicopters flew in more aid, taking off from Cancun's bullring.
Fishermen on Isla Mujeres, north of Cozumel, said the storm scared away the fish. No sea life could be seen in the water near one shallow reef just offshore.
"The people here fish," said Jose Sanchez, a 61-year-old fisherman. "But now there aren't fish, so we don't do anything."
The storm put Marielle Hendriksen, a Netherlands native who has lived on the island for nearly five years, out of work. Her dive shop has closed until it can repair a dock that was blown away by Wilma's wind and waves.
But she said she was happy to see officials recovering the beaches' sand.
"It will take a lot of work and a lot of time, but some of the beaches can be recovered," she said.
Hendriksen was one of the few on the island who said they had received handouts of rice, beans and sugar. Many others complained they weren't getting bottled water or food, and a group of about 30 people were planning a protest.
The island's senior center was filled to the ceiling with bottled water and some food, but residents said local officials weren't distributing it.
Vivian Aurora, 41, said she hadn't received anything for days and only has a bit of rice, beans and dried fish for her three children.
Flor Maria Chavez, 52, got up before dawn to wait for the ferry to bring water.
"There isn't any water until the ferry brings the jugs," she said. "We don't have anything to drink."
posted by Lorna Dee Cervantes at 12:25 AM
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