Cabo San Lucas Mexico: One evacuee’s story

This information has been provided by a victim of the hurricane who fortunately returned from Cabo to the U.S. on Alaska Air on September 18, 2014. This is his story.

Any time there is a fluid situation like this(hurricane or natural disaster) you will receive many types of reports including some that are accurate and others that are not accurate. I was in Cabo the day of the hurricane and thankfully now evacuated. I was not at a hotel but at a residence at Villa Del Corazon Brisas in Cabo Del Sol, with five other Americans. We were not receiving any type of information other than rumors that the airport in La Paz and La Paz itself was in better condition. I wanted to go to the airport at Cabo, but the others voted to go to La Paz. A guard at the community assisted us in obtaining a taxi to La Paz. 300 dollars one way. When we arrived there we found there was electricity but the airport did not seem to be operating flights and there seemed to be between 2 and 5 thousand tourists standing outside the airport. No one seemed to be in control and some of the stranded claimed they they heard the military was coming. There was no sign of U.S. Consulate or Embassy personnel there to assist.

One thing that was operational in La Paz was limited cellphone service. I was able to phone my father and the information he was able to provide indicated there were Alaska Air planes at the Cabo airport and they were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles and San Diego.He verified this by phone Alaska. And he was also able to confirm I had a ticket for the next day – Thursday which had not been cancelled. Also, my father informed me that a new hurricane was developing. Therefore, we were off to Cabo. Another 300 hundred dollars. We met others who said they paid up to 1200 dollars. Taxis drivers appeared to be taking advantage of the situation.

One of the reasons we decided not to return to the residence in Cabo was we were into our fourth day. My common sense told me that if all the businesses had been looted which I was able to take pictures of, that shortages may be so bad that looters and bandits may approach residential areas especially in the better areas. Also, we figured that it may be safer with the military present at the airport if they were there and that there may be food and water.

The airport was in shatters in Cabo. We had to make our way to the tarmac area and the situation was very poorly organized and again i saw no U.S. personnel there to assist. There was Mexican military present. Crowd behavior took over on several occasions when someone would yell out that a certain plane was going to the U.S. We finally worked ourselves into a line and luckily got on board an Alaska jet to LA.

I assure you the looting is for real and the recovery is not going to be fast. It is devastated. I also believe that if you are currently there you need to get to the airport before this situation drags on longer. In fact the Consulate’s website is advising the same if it is done during the day and can be accomplished safely.

FROM THE CONSULATE IN TIJUANA
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The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens affected by Hurricane Odile in Baja California Sur should proceed to San José del Cabo airport as soon as possible, if able to do so. Travel during daylight hours is recommended.

The Department of State is working with U.S. and Mexican carriers to arrange flights for U.S. citizens departing from San José del Cabo (SJD) airport on Thursday, September 18. Other flights MAY be departing from the airport in La Paz (LAP). The Department of State urges U.S. citizens still in Cabo San Lucas to avail themselves of this opportunity. Passengers should be prepared to wait until they are able to depart. Many U.S. and Mexican commercial flights are departing this airport. In addition, the U.S. State Department has chartered flights. By law, these flights will be provided on a reimbursable basis, and passengers will be required to sign a promissory note. No passenger will be turned away due to lack of funds.

U.S. consular personnel are in affected areas in the Baja California peninsula to provide consular assistance to stranded citizens.

The U.S. Consulate in Tijuana advises against land travel between southern Baja and northern Baja Peninsula because of damage to the Trans-Peninsular Highway. READ EMERGENCY MESSAGE
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I also recommend reading this article that is translated into English from French. “Cabo san Lucas Mexico: situation Increasingly more severe”. It is one man’s opinion but it is from a Mexican lawyer who is on the ground. And for me, I love Cabo and I am very sad about the situation and the devastation to such a beautiful place. I am also grateful to have survived and to be back.

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