Forums > Areas > North Pacific Region

bournemouth

Oct 12, 2008, 7:24 PM

Post #1 of 15 (7787 views)

Shortcut

Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Alamos, Sonora has been seriously damaged by Norbert, with loss of life. The road up from Navojoa is currently closed. Thriftqueen, we hope you are o.k. Let us know once the power comes back on. You can read accounts here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alamosnews/

(This post was edited by Rolly on Oct 12, 2008, 7:26 PM)

JohnnyBoy

Oct 12, 2008, 10:54 PM

Post #2 of 15 (7767 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Amazing what a difference a couple of hundred kilometers can make.

Just a bit north of Alamos here in Hermosillo we had some cloudy skies and slightly cooler temperatures, but neary a drop of rain.

I too send my best wishes along to Thriftqueen.

bournemouth

Oct 13, 2008, 9:10 AM

Post #3 of 15 (7743 views)

Shortcut

Re: [JohnBleazard] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Here are some photos from Alamos - sad viewing for those who know Alamos:

http://groups.msn.com/...rbertsept112008.msnw

Yea - I finally made a link live - thanks RickS.

Rolly says: Yes, you got it to light up, but there was an error in the link which I fixed.

(This post was edited by Rolly on Oct 13, 2008, 9:28 AM)

RickS

Oct 13, 2008, 11:49 AM

Post #4 of 15 (7727 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

WOA! That is some serious flood damage. Seeing that bridge washed away lets one know that a wall of water, soil and debris came crashing down out of the hills into that 'dry wash'. Kind of reminds me of San Juan Cosala last year (on Lake Chapala), but on a larger scale. Too bad.

bournemouth

Oct 13, 2008, 12:21 PM

Post #5 of 15 (7723 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Well Rolly - wouldn't it just be like that - thanks for fixing it - back to the old tried, true and tested leave it to Rolly system!

bournemouth

Oct 13, 2008, 12:23 PM

Post #6 of 15 (7723 views)

Shortcut

Re: [RickS] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Yes Rick - it really flooded there. Lots of people living along the main arroyo have lost everything and I think some folks are still missing - very sad, it is such a lovely little town. Reminds me of San Juan Cosala too - much the same thing - a cloudburst over land already saturated from the summer rains.

JohnnyBoy

Oct 13, 2008, 12:25 PM

Post #7 of 15 (7722 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks for posting those pictures. I do recognize many of the places...the mercado downtown, for example.

I have walked all over Alamos and have seen those dry arroyos. Most of them are on the edges of the downtown area and I hope the main plaza and church were spared the flood waters and serious damaged. I suspect the area in and around the Alameda were hard hit.

My partner is involved every year in the Festival de Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado in late January. I wonder now what impact this flood and the damage will have on that festival. This will be the 25th year, kind of a milestone. I was actually thinking I would not go down this year, but now I almost certainly will, just to see how Alamos is fairing. It is really a cute town.

morgaine7

Oct 13, 2008, 1:44 PM

Post #8 of 15 (7713 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

ElSudcaliforniano is reporting at least four people dead in Alamos. Apparently the four were caught by a rising river. This article says that in some locations flooding was as high as two meters.
http://www.oem.com.mx/...no/notas/n889690.htm
We were fortunate here in La Paz. Areas of Baja California Sur northwest of us took the brunt of Norbert's arrival and suffered extensive damage. The winds destroyed some homes and tore the roofs off others. Many people are still in shelters.

Kate

(This post was edited by morgaine7 on Oct 13, 2008, 2:21 PM)

bournemouth

Oct 15, 2008, 12:12 PM

Post #9 of 15 (7669 views)

Shortcut

Re: [JohnBleazard] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

I have managed to make contact with Thriftqueen through the Alamos Yahoo group. She and her husband are alive and well but have lost just about everthing - here is part of her note to me:

I´ve missed the MxConn forum and all the chatter. Tell everyone we are find and the sun will rise tomorrow. We are alive and that´s what´s most important. Everything we have worked for is gone. The house is there but devastated, everything inside totally gone. Both of our cars too.

Oscar2

Oct 15, 2008, 1:36 PM

Post #10 of 15 (7658 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Quote

Everything we have worked for is gone. The house is there but devastated, everything inside totally gone. Both of our cars too.

This is indeed is heart wrenching. Please send our condolences and make it known we are pulling for her and not only have appreciated her good will, but her spirit and tenacity. She and hers deserve better than this.

In that indomitable spirit of hers, we know the sun will rise for her each day, but if I can send a small donation in your direction please give instruction as to where it can be sent. A little something can always help.

Buena Suerte,
Oscar

bournemouth

Oct 15, 2008, 1:52 PM

Post #11 of 15 (7652 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Oscar2] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks for the offer of a donation. I am waiting for someone in Alamos to come up with a solid location that donations can be sent, in the sure knowledge that they will be put to good use.

Alamos is receiving help from the State of Sonora and the Federal Government. Governor Bours and Presidente Calderon were there yesterday. It helps that the Bours family comes from Alamos originally and still has a family home there.

There rumored death toll is now over 20 with some still missing. The area received somewhere around 9 inches of rain in 2 hours on Saturday night, dropped on ground already sodden from good summer rains. There was nowhere for this rain to go but to run off.

I know that Thriftqueen will be comforted knowing that people on Mexconnect care about her.

wendy devlin

Oct 15, 2008, 3:39 PM

Post #12 of 15 (7642 views)

Shortcut

Re: [bournemouth] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

This thread goes to show how newsworthy and tangentially, helpful, internet forums can be. Little places like Alamos and Lerdo, are often not deemed 'newsworthy' and without contact with posters, living there, most of us would not be aware of recent events, especially like this one.

Myself, learned this a few years back when a particularily strong earthquake destroyed parts of Colima City, and killed a number of people in several small pueblos of my dear acquaintence(where in-laws and friends lived).

Mexican news of the event was scarce. And international main stream media coverage even more absent.

morgaine7

Oct 27, 2008, 3:19 PM

Post #13 of 15 (7583 views)

Shortcut

Re: [wendy devlin] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

This link was posted on another Mexico forum. It describes how a group of private pilots arranged to bring aid supplies to the residents of Alamos.
http://www.avweb.com/...99061-1.html#gallery

Kate

Marlene / Moderator

Oct 29, 2008, 8:13 PM

Post #14 of 15 (7545 views)

Shortcut

Re: [morgaine7] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

Thanks for posting that, Kate.

thriftqueen

Nov 8, 2008, 10:55 AM

Post #15 of 15 (7499 views)

Shortcut

Re: [morgaine7] Alamos and Norbert

Can't Post | Private Reply

For more links from Alamos about Norbert go to http://alamosportfolio.com/ or enter alamosmexico.com and follow the links through Alamos News group on the right hand side of the screen.