Chetumal, Q.R. — Strong winds affecting the coast of Quintana Roo have erased one of Chetumal’s beaches. Days of ongoing strong gusts have resulted in major coastal erosion of the city’s Dos Mulas beach.
The beach, which is artificial, has disappeared due to the ‘surada’ or strong southerly winds. Surada, a wind that comes from the south and southeast, is favored by intense anticyclonic systems, something that has affected the Peninsula since last week.
The Yucatan Peninsula has seen the continued affect of these winds also with the closure of navigation to smaller vessels. In Chetumal, the most noted effect has been the disappearance of the city’s Dos Mulas artificial beach.
According to Gustavo García, a meteorologist with the State Coordination of Civil Protection, those winds are expected to subside this weekend. He says in Chetumal, wind gusts of up to 50 kilometers per hour have been reported.
The Dos Mulas beach area has been temporarily submerged due to the rising sea level caused by the southerly tide. Civil Protection personnel have maintained surveillance in the areas most exposed to winds and urges the public to take precautions.
Authorities indicated that monitoring will continue to assess damage and issue recommendations as long as the strong winds continue.
