San Diego City Councilman David Alvarez said Friday he has family in Mexico caught in the middle of Hurricane Patricia, called the strongest storm ever recorded.
Alvarez told City News Service he unsuccessfully tried to reach out to family members this morning, citing telephone and electrical lines shut down by utility companies to avoid damage live wires could cause during and after the storm.
The last contact he had with family in Mexico was through a Facebook entry one of his cousin’s posted yesterday.
Alvarez said he’s especially concerned about the rural towns along the coast, which he says don’t have the resources or capacity to deal with a devastating blow as Puerto Vallarta may have.
“They are definitely not equipped,” Alvarez said.
In all, Alvarez has 15 aunts, uncles and cousins who live about an hour east of Puerto Vallarta — firmly in the region the hurricane will impact.
Alvarez said he is considering taking a trip to Jalisco following the storm to help emergency workers and his family.
As many as 79 shelters have been installed in areas affected by Patricia, with many set up at school facilities, according to Remedio Gomez, consul general of San Diego’s Mexican Consulate.
At least 34 municipalities in Mexico’s Jalisco state have declared an emergency, Gomez said.
Gomez said those who want updates on the storm can dial the Spanish call center at 1-855-463-6395.
— City News Service