Tulum, Q.R. — Tulum Mayor Diego Castañón Trejo says preparations are being made for the arrival of Hurricane Beryl. He says due to updated trajectories, Beryl is expected to make landfall in the community of Punta Allen as a category 1 between Thursday and Friday.
“It seems that it is going to Punta Allen, but these cyclones can change at any time, but we have to be prepared,” he said.
During his Tuesday press conference he said in view of this possible impact, the Governor will send help and that the armed forces and national civil protection will also be available.
Castañón Trejo says they have 37 temporary shelters, 16 in the municipal capital and 21 distributed among the delegations. These cyclone shelters are equipped with first aid equipment, food supplies, medicines and doctors who can provide the necessary care in the event of illness or injury.
On Thursday there will be a complete evacuation of all Punta Allen residents.
He reported that in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve and along the coastal area of Tulum, hotels are already warning guests about the possible impact and that they are no longer accepting reservations.
The Tulum International Airport will be closed 24 hours before likely impact.
Governor Mara Lezama also held a press conference after several meetings with state and municipal officials regarding the hurricane. For schools, all classes at all levels will be suspended on Thursday and Friday as a preventive measure.
There will be no alcohol sales as of midnight Thursday. Mexico’s Dry Law will come into effect as of midnight July 4 and remain in place until further notice. “The objective is to protect citizens,” she reported.
Regarding the municipalities of Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto, which are in the impact zones, Mayors Mary Hernández and Diego Castañón reported that all preventive measures have been taken from emergency shelters to food supplies and that CAPA and CFE brigades are on hand to guarantee or restore services.
In addition, they have the full support of federal forces, such as the Navy, the Army and the National Guard.
Regarding Carrillo Puerto, President Mary Hernández reported that as a timely preventive measure, people from Punta Herrero and María Elena have already been evacuated.
Governor Lezama reiterated that official information has Hurricane Beryl making landfall Thursday night or Friday morning between Felipe Carrillo Puerto and the municipal limits of Tulum.
Local military personnel have already been distributed. On Tuesday, Vice Admiral Abraham Eloy Caballero Rosas, Commander of the 9th Naval Region, reported that the Navy Plan includes the distribution of 1,128 elements.
Of those, 100 in Isla Mujeres and 133 in the Puerto Juárez and Cancún areas, 349 elements in Cozumel and 546 elements in Chetumal for preventive actions. There are 87 vehicles available, 34 between Isla Mujeres and Cancun, 16 between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen and 37 for Chetumal to assist the population. In addition, five mobile medical brigades will be available.
On Wednesday, Governor Lezama announced the complete closure of all ports to small vessels as of 2:00 p.m. local times.
“Due to the forecast of the trajectory of Hurricane Beryl towards the coasts of the state of Quintana Roo, as a preventive measure today, Wednesday, July 3, starting at 2:00 p.m., the port will be CLOSED to vessels under 40 feet or 500 UAB and all types of recreational water activities will be SUSPENDED throughout the jurisdiction of the Island of Cozumel.”
Lezama reported holding meetings with representatives of the health sector, tourism sector, embassies, airlines, hoteliers, ferry companies, etc., to inform them of the action protocols.
Lezama says that all Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) hospitals in Quintana Roo have implemented Civil Protection protocols to ensure that hospital infrastructure is in the best condition and to maintain uninterrupted medical services required by the population, before, during and after the possible impact of Hurricane Beryl.
Around the state, municipalities have begun preparations. In Cancun, some of the new traffic light systems have been taken down. Vanessa Valenzuela, the General Director of Transportation and Roads for Cancun, says they started the dismantling of around 350 of the newer traffic light systems Tuesday.
“We are currently protecting the new ones. I do not have the exact number, but approximately 350 traffic lights will be uninstalled. Drivers will not be left without traffic light service, they will remain with a head so that the vehicular flow can be carried out correctly,” she explained.
She also said the city is working in coordination with city bus companies to carry out possible evacuations. At the moment, 30 buses have been earmarked.
More than two dozen Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) trucks arrived in José María Morelos Tuesday to ensure power across the state. The CFE vehicles were transporting transformers, generators and mobile power plants.
Ultramar has announced Playa del Carmen-Cozumel and Cancun-Isla Mujeres ferry service will be suspended on Friday, July 5.
The Cancun International Airport (AIC) is preparing its facilities for the possible impact of Hurricane Beryl. At this time, with the proximity and power of Hurricane Beryl, the Early Warning Group has implemented protocols and procedures to ensure the safety of air operations in coordination with federal, state and municipal Civil Protection authorities.
At the moment, the Cancun International Airport is in “Alert 01, Uncertainty Phase”, in accordance with the Green Alert issued by State Civil Protection. As of Wednesday, the airport continues to operate normally.
The cone of uncertainty grows large as Beryl nears Mexico. According to The Weather Channel, the cone becomes wider as the forecast uncertainty increases with time, carving out the cone shape.
Regardless of cone, Juan Ramón Díaz Calderón, the Deputy Director of the Quintana Roo Emergency Council of Conagua, says that although Hurricane Beryl is expected to impact Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto as a Category 1 Hurricane, damage is expected across the entire state.
“Starting Thursday, Hurricane Beryl is expected to cause damage to the coast of Quintana Roo,” he said.
“At night, the effects of intense rains will be felt with strong gusts of sustained winds of 150 and 195 kilometers per hour as well as high waves. It is forecast that on Friday morning, Beryl will hit the central coasts of Quintana Roo as a category 1 hurricane with winds of 140 to 165 kilometers, 40 kilometers southeast of Punta Alen and 55 kilometers northwest of Punta Guerrero, Quintana Roo.
“During the afternoon of Friday the 5th, the storm is expected to cross the central-southern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula, entering the southern Gulf of Mexico at night as a tropical storm with winds between 100 and 120 kilometers per hour,” he said.
