The Government of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, has issued a red alert as hurricane Dean heads towards its coast. According to the web site, a red alert is issued when the moment of impact is within 18 hours. Quintana Roo’s population, which includes Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Isla Mujeres, Isla Cozumel, Tulum, Chetumal and various other towns have been asked to listen to regular TV and radio bulletins.

I am now getting frequent text updates on my cell phone, as is everybody else in the state who has a mobile phone.

The red alert has informed us that a Category 4 hurricane is approximately 550 kilometers from the Mexican coast. Dean is traveling at 33 kph, it has sustained winds of 240kph near its center, and gusts of 295kph. Dean should produce a sea surge of about 4 meters near the eye of the hurricane. Hurricane force winds extend to 95 kilometers from the eye of the storm. Tropical storm conditions should be expected as far as 335 kilometers from the eye.

The alert states that the hurricane’s path represents an imminent threat of impact for the State of Quintana Roo.

A state government spokesperson said that President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon has been supervising and giving instructions so that human health and well-being can be restored swiftly.

The State Government has an extra 200 state and federal policemen and women, 30 vehicles with radio communications and weaponry, 12 all-terrain vehicles, 20 heavy duty trucks. The army is providing several mobile kitchens.

Contingency plans to keep the state’s hospitals functioning have been put into force. The Governor of Quintana Roo, Félix González Canto, has assured everyone that medical attention will be available for all. Water sterilizing equipment and tablets have been distributed throughout coastal areas, as have 35,000 vaccines. 180 first level hospitals plus 15 second level ones are all functioning fully and will do so during the storm. There are 156 blood banks, 16 spare portable electric generators, 80 buckets of chlorine (45 kilos each) and 23 extra ambulances. All healthcare professionals have been told to report for duty.

The State Government also has 38 large heavy-duty lifting vehicles, 41 medium-sized excavators, 21 tractors, 143 heavy duty trucks, 24 long-reach (long arm) excavators, and 23 steam-rollers. The equipment has been placed near to where hurricane Dean is expected to make landfall. The Governor has also called on the private sector to make its equipment available when needed.

It is now 4pm here in Cancún, Mexico. Dean is expected to hit the coast, about 140 miles south of here, during the early hours of Tuesday (tomorrow). The town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, some miles inland, may be the first town to be hit, according to present projections. The locals did not want to leave as they feared they might lose their possessions. Recent radio reports indicate that they have been persuaded and are being evacuated – the military said it will guard their houses from looters.

— Government of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico (Spanish)
— Borough Council of Cancun (Spanish)

Written by: Christian Nordqvist