40,000 Los Cabos Tourists Affected By Hurricane Norma

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Last Updated 7 months ago

According to recent data, the number of tourists affected by Hurricane Norma amounted to 40,000 in the municipality of Los Cabos and 7,000 in La Paz.

No fatalities were reported in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur, but an Argentinian tourist was injured. 

Authorities announced that several visitors were forced to postpone their flight back home as airports were closed due to the strong rain and wind. 

What happened?

Hurricane Norma arrived on the shores of Baja California Sur on Saturday after being downgraded from a category four to a category one hurricane. 

Thousands of people were left without power, and infrastructure in both the municipalities of Los Cabos and La Paz was severely damaged. 

The main airports in the country had to shut down due to the heavy wind and rain, causing severe delays for several tourists. 

Los Cabos was the first airport to resume its operations, meaning that several tourists in La Paz decided to travel to San José Airport to get back to the USA and avoid canceling important events and meetings.

Commenting on the situation, the Secretary of Tourism and Economy in Baja California Sur, Maribel Collins Sánchez, declared: “Here in the municipality of La Paz there were approximately 7,000 tourists, all of whom are safe, there is no report of any major impact. (…) In terms of air connectivity, they informed us that the airport will not be able to reopen. The flights may depart from Cabo, until further notice.”

Henry Brown was one of the many U.S. citizens affected by the hurricane. In a Sunday morning interview, he stated: “They told us that the air terminal is now open, and we want to return to San Diego since the danger of the hurricane is over.” 

He said that the wind was extremely strong on Saturday but that he and his wife didn’t have problems as they decided to stay sheltered in the hotel. 

Another American tourist, Noah Johnson, decided to go out for a walk with his family to see how the beaches had been affected by the storm. 

Unlike many others, he decided to stay in Mexico till the end of his holiday on Tuesday the 24th, despite the closure of several businesses and restaurants in the area. 

What are the damages? 

Unfortunately, several restaurants and eateries were affected by Hurricane Norma, but the damages were not major. 

Water sewage was one of the main concerns. This is why the Los Cabos authorities ordered all street vendors to suspend their sales to avoid spreading diseases. 

Several roads were affected by the heavy rain and wind. Many trees, some of them over 100 years old, did not endure the power of the hurricane and fell down, blocking some of the roads in the municipality. 

Many boats were destroyed, and all beaches were closed to protect tourists’ safety. 5,000 marines are now bringing first aid supplies to the states affected by Hurricane Norma with helicopters and ships. 

Should tourists cancel their Los Cabos holiday? 

In light of the recent events, tourists heading to Los Cabos soon may now be wondering whether they should cancel their holiday. Luckily, this is probably unnecessary. However, foreigners traveling here should keep in mind a few essential points.

The Los Cabos authorities are now working on cleaning the beaches and fixing all the damaged infrastructure, meaning that some areas may still be inaccessible. On top of this, it is still unclear whether street vendors and other restaurants have been allowed to resume work. 

Despite this, it is important to note that this is not the first hurricane in the area, as the hurricane season in the Los Cabos municipality lasts from mid-May to the end of November. 

Even though these natural phenomena here are rare, local authorities are well prepared to face them. This is why, for as long as visitors follow the local warnings and recommendations, they will remain safe.