Waiting For Mitch
Cancun resident Karla Sona may be in the storm's path. She sent CBS.com the following perspective of the scene in the near-deserted resort city.
Cancun is ready, should Hurricane Mitch head north and hit us. There is preparedness on all levels, from the most modest families to the most luxurious beachfront resorts.
Since the experience of Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, Cancun has developed a complete hurricane contingency plan which includes 150 shelters for local residents and tourists as well as an evacuation plan and special bus service ready to take tourists staying on the beach in Cancun's hotel zone to safe havens downtown.
 Cancun Prepares for Mitch |
Now that Cancun is fully prepared, it is a matter of waiting to see what Mitch decides to do. The local population is in limbo. Most students are out of school until further notice, and many local businesses are boarded up and unable to function. Residents who had evacuated beachfront areas are slowly returning but are still monitoring the situation closely should they have to leave again. We cannot lower our guard until we are sure that Mitch will not hit the area.
The government, through the local papers and radio stations, is constantly providing updated information and warning people not to assume that the storm won't hit. We are all being asked to maintain a week's supply of drinking water, candles, flashlights, batteries, nonperishable food., and medical supplies.
Cancun is ready by any standard. People are helping others, strangers and neighbors alike. Everyone has found his or her hurricane niche in case the storm should come. There is a feeling of calm. We are very proud to be Cancunenses (Cancun residents).
Someone asked us, "Won't you feel frustrated if, after all this effort to prepare, the hurricane doesn't come?" Many of us were here for Gilbert and his 200-plus mph winds. We know what a hurricane can do. We also know that a storm of this type is unpredictable. We would rather be prepared than sorry.
So now we wait and hope for the best. At first, everyone stayed close to home, waiting for the storm to hit. Now, three days later, with preparations completed, we are venturing out again. You find the locals at the beaches taking pictures, and walking along the shore to experience the incredible power of the waves. But most of the time, we stay home, watch the news, and try to enjoy this unplanned hiatus in our lives.
Reported by Karla Sona
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