Eight thousand food packages and over 33,000 liters of water are among the supplies that have been flown to Oaxaca for victims of Hurricane Agatha.
Five military planes have flown supplies from the Felipe Ángeles International Airport near Mexico City to the airport in Huatulco, located about 50 kilometers from where the Category 2 hurricane made landfall on Monday.
Ten thousand blankets and an equal number of sleeping mats have also reached the Oaxaca coast, as have five teams of emergency health personnel.
The military is using eight helicopters to distribute the supplies to Pochutla, Puerto Ángel, Zipolite, Mazunte, La Herradura, El Limón, Pluma Hidalgo, Derramadero, Bajos de Coyol, El Copilita, Xanica and Santa María Huatulco, the army said in a statement.
Members of the military deliver food and water to residents of Oaxaca by helicopter.A través de la @AMEXCID y con apoyo de @SEDENAmx y @GN_MEXICO_, se realizó el envío de insumos y agua a las comunidades afectadas por #Agatha 🌀, los cuales se han distribuido directamente a la población por medio de @SEMAR_mx y #SEDENA. pic.twitter.com/P1AAHT2s1a
— Protección Civil México (@CNPC_MX) June 2, 2022
Some communities have been cut off due to mudslides and flooding caused by heavy rain brought by Agatha.
A community kitchen and water purification plant have been set up in Huatulco for the benefit of hurricane victims.
The army also said that almost 3,000 members of the armed forces and National Guard have evacuated people at risk, removed trees and vehicles from roads, cleared mud, cleaned homes, distributed food, attended to people in shelters, offered medical assistance and set up shelters.
Some 120 military vehicles have been deployed to assist the search, rescue, damage repair and cleanup efforts, to which municipal and state authorities are also contributing.
The hurricane claimed at least nine lives — two fewer than previously reported — and four people remained missing as of early Thursday.
