Flooding homes and schools in a town in Oaxaca prompts a plea for relocation due to increasing sea levels.
In the coastal region of Oaxaca, Mexico, the communities of San Diego del Mar and Cuauhtémoc are facing a crisis due to heavy ocean swells and flooding. Over the past two decades, the tide has repeatedly risen, eroding beaches and pushing water into residential areas in Cuauhtémoc. This small neighborhood, populated largely by the Indigenous people known as the Ikoots (or historically as the Huave), has a deep cultural and spiritual connection to the sea. However, the increasing tidal disturbances in the past four years have caused significant damage, with the Pacific Ocean advancing some 700 meters into Cuauhtémoc, impacting the area's economy and culture. The crisis has affected nearly 800 families, forcing the cancellation of school and disrupting daily life. The flooding has impacted classrooms, the health clinic, and the church in San Diego del Mar. Many families have declined refuge in local shelters to stay closer to home, putting them at risk for illness and possible isolation due to lingering standing water. The neighborhood of Cuauhtémoc is being swept away by the sea, according to a report last year in the Istmo Press. The report noted that this erosion is being contributed to by the Interoceanic Corridor megaproject, a major infrastructure project in Mexico. The expanding breakwater at the neighboring port of Salina Cruz, carried out as part of the Interoceanic Corridor megaproject of the 4T government, has been identified as the cause of the increasing tidal disturbances. The crisis has led to disillusionment among families in San Diego del Mar and Cuauhtémoc as they wait for the relocation to take place. In May, San Diego del Mar's residents voted in favor of a federal plan to relocate the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood to Cerro Paloma. The plan is currently in the approval phase, with construction expected to begin in early 2026. However, families are growing impatient, and many have reached their limit, adapting by raising furniture and laying sandbags but struggling to keep up with the relentless tide. San Diego del Mar is a 30-minute drive from Salina Cruz, located on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The Interoceanic Corridor megaproject is a controversial project, with some arguing that it is exacerbating the erosion of beaches and pushing water into residential areas, contributing to the crisis in San Diego del Mar and Cuauhtémoc. As the communities continue to battle the tide, authorities are under pressure to provide funding and begin construction for the relocation. The most recent flooding struck just as the community was preparing for Independence Day events, which were abruptly canceled. The residents of San Diego del Mar and Cuauhtémoc remain hopeful for a brighter future, but for now, they continue to fight against the encroaching sea.
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