Isla Mujeres’ 14-Hour Power Outage Amid Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on Isla Mujeres, causing significant damage, including a disruption to the island's electrical service.

The Federal Electricity Commission managed to restore power to Isla Mujeres by 6:30 pm, following a 14-hour outage. The outage was caused by damage to the power network from fallen tree branches during the early hours of Wednesday as Hurricane Helene passed over the island. The hurricane brought with it wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h, according to official reports. Even at dusk, wind speeds remained above 70 km/h, due to the hurricane's intensification over the Gulf of Mexico, where it reached speeds of 140 km/h.

In light of these conditions, the Ultramar shipping line suspended its services due to safety concerns. Services are expected to remain suspended for the rest of the day and will resume on Thursday as per the regular schedule, as forecasted by the Port Captaincy.

With the restoration of electricity, Civil Protection activated two bilge pumps at the Salina Grande lagoon. These pumps are set to pump 576 cubic meters per hour, with the aim of evacuating 41,472 cubic meters in 72 hours. This action is expected to reduce flooding in the Salina neighborhood's Sports Unit and the lower parts surrounding the lagoon.

The situation at Salina Chica is less severe, with water levels rising about 60 centimeters. It is expected to be controlled within 24 hours, with the evacuation of 13,824 cubic meters of water. This will be accomplished by the operation of two bilge pumps, which have a combined capacity of 160 liters per second for this lagoon.

Starting tomorrow, ferry services to Isla Mujeres and Holbox are expected to resume.