Due to the trajectory of Hurricane Beryl, Yucatán is expected to be heavily affected by this weather phenomenon. As a result, the State’s Civil Protection Agency will have a network of over 2,000 temporary shelters to provide a safe space for citizens during its passage.
The agency’s director, Enrique Alcocer, explained that 40 of these initial shelters are managed by the state government, as they are located in high-risk areas.
“We have an emergency fund and disaster response budget of 15 million pesos to provide immediate assistance in high-risk zones such as the coast and southern cone of the state. These areas are prone to flooding due to excessive rainfall.”
He added that the shelters managed by the state are those where people are typically evacuated, while the remaining temporary shelters are administered by municipalities.
Furthermore, Alcocer detailed that Mérida has 64 temporary shelters, with 47 located in each comisaría (district) of the city and the remaining 17 situated in colonies and neighborhoods considered high-risk areas.
Each municipal shelter has a kitchen, dining area, large bedrooms for accommodating entire families, common areas for socializing; and can accommodate between 60 to 70 people.
To consult the network of shelters in Yucatán, the state government has activated its website https://www.yucatan.gob.mx/procivy/refugios.php, allowing citizens to locate the closest shelter to their home.
