Zapopan Residents Devastated as Floods Wipe Out Rebuilt Homes
Zapopan, Jalisco – Residents of the La Martinica and Lomas de Tabachines colonies in Zapopan are reeling after recent floods swept away belongings and dashed hopes for recovery, leaving many with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The deluge, described by residents as heavier than previous events, has reignited concerns about the safety of living near the heavily congested drainage channel.
The floods follow a prior incident impacting 144 homes, 29 of which were deemed uninhabitable. While the current number of affected homes is lower, the emotional and material toll is important. Aurora Romero, a resident who lost a newly purchased cupboard, stove, and furniture, expressed the despair felt by many: “It rained a lot, more than the other time. We already saw it come, the water didn’t stop.” Despite the loss, she added with a broken voice, “Thank God we are fine, there were no losses [of life].”
Zapopan Mayor Juan José Frangie acknowledged the inherent danger of the area,attributing the flooding to a drainage channel clogged with garbage,despite recent cleanup efforts. “This channel is full of garbage… This caused all the water to be overwhelmed here. It is still a dangerous place to inhabit it,” he stated.
Neighbors report that while the volume of water may have been less than in past floods, the damage is more extensive.Guadalupe Cabral saw a fence collapse and two others severely damaged. “I don’t even have words. The other time it was just the gate that was damaged, now it was my fences, the three are at risk, one fell and the other is quartered,” she said.
The repeated devastation has prompted residents to consider relocation as a potential long-term solution.Authorities have not yet announced specific plans for assistance or preventative measures beyond continued channel maintenance.