Looters hit Cancun after Wilma

2005-10-24 15:50

Cancun - Mexicans and stranded tourists, hungry and frustrated after a two-day beating by Hurricane Wilma, stood in line to buy supplies on Sunday or simply raided groceries and hotel mini-bars.

Others dragged furniture and appliances from stores ripped open by the storm.

The hurricane's steady march toward southern Florida meant an end here to two days of howling winds and torrential rains that shattered windows, peeled away roofing and sent the ocean crashing into hotel lobbies.

But another kind of chaos took over, as police shot into the air to scare looters away from a shopping centre, and looters responded by throwing rocks and chucks of concrete.

Downtown, officials feared looters would turn on tourists, so they quickly evacuated more than 30 foreigners from a downtown area overrun by people raiding stores.

Military officials and police stood guard outside many businesses and set up checkpoints to seize looted goods.

Still, some people, hungry and unable to find anything open, began taking things they needed. One group pushed carts against the boarded up windows of a grocery store in an attempt to break in.

Dozens of arrests

At a convenience store, Cancun resident Alex Aguilar took batteries and aspirin.

"The window was broken, so we just went in and got what we wanted," he said.

Dozens were arrested.

"It's chaos," said fire official Gregorio Vergara. "They are taking things all over the city."

Others waited in long lines at the few stores that were open. At one only accepting pesos, tourists without local currency offered $100 for $5 calling cards.

Downtown, the city handed out food packages that included rice, beans, crackers and cooking oil, and people stood in line for blocks to collect.

Larry Lowman, of Beauford, South Carolina, carried away armloads of emergency supplies for the shelter where he was staying.

"It's an expedition to bring food for everybody," he said.

Nearby, Jarle Teigland, of Bergen, Norway, wandered the streets with his suitcase, looking for a ride to the airport.

Storm-related deaths

State officials said at least three people were killed during the storm. One was hit by a falling tree and two others died from injuries they received when a gas tank exploded.

Four bodies were also found floating in flood waters on the island of Cozumel. But officials said it was unclear if the deaths were related to the storm because the remains were badly decomposed, indicating they may have died before Wilma hit.

Last week, Wilma killed 13 people in Jamaica and Haiti.

On the isolated island of Cozumel, a popular spot with divers and cruise ships, resident Daniela Ayala said people were nervous because there was little food left.

"Right now, there is nothing to buy on the island," she said. "People are in the streets looking for food, and they are starting to get desperate."

The storm knocked out many of the island's docks, making it difficult for the navy to arrive. State officials were trying to clear airstrips on Cozumel and nearby Isla Mujeres so that planes could land with aid. President Vicente Fox said the government would send helicopters on Sunday.

A desperate situation

Windows were blown out at the city's main public hospital and about 2.5cm of water stood on the floor of the intensive care unit, although a generator provided electricity.

The United States embassy was sending consular officials to shelters to help tourists prepare for leave. The US government also offered to donate $200 000 in hurricane aid.

The storm was a devastating blow to Mexico's $11bn foreign tourism industry. It was unclear when the Cancun airport would be operating, and many hotels could take weeks - if not months - to repair.

Quintana Roo, the Caribbean coastal state that includes the hurricane-ravaged resorts, accounted for half of the nights spent by foreign tourists in Mexico last year.

Nearly 700&nbp;000 people live in the Quintana Roo municipalities hit by Wilma, a region that was populated by just a few thousand before the development of Cancun and the other rapidly growing resort centres.

Not all tourists were discouraged, however.

Linda Plourde, 54, of Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, snapped photos of the scene in front of the hotel where she had been sheltered.

"Why not look at this as an adventure and try to have some fun?" she said.

"Misery takes more energy."

- AP