11am - Emily is near Merida

Riviera Maya is crawling out of the rampage

At this time, damage from the storm is evident everywhere on the Mayan Riviera.  The streets are filled with trees, branches, and debris.  The strong winds have knocked out the power.

In fact, power was knocked out all along the coast; the force of Emily's winds snapped concrete utility poles in two along a half-mile stretch of highway between our resort city of Playa del Carmen and in Cancun to the north.  Plate glass windows were shattered on the ground floors of most businesses in Playa del Carmen, while our residents are wading through knee-deep water along some streets.  Although there were no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries, there is plenty of discomfort for tourists who had come to the peninsula for sun and relaxation. 

"All night long, cold water was pouring in through the holes in the wall," said tourist Graham Brighton, of Leicester, England, one of about 1,000 people, mostly tourists, who spent the night on thin foam pads thrown onto a gymnasium floor. "There were just far too many people crammed into one space."

More to come.........

Comments (0)

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment