Flooding homes and schools in a town of Oaxaca due to increasing sea levels prompts officials to consider a relocation plan.
In the picturesque coastal town of San Mateo del Mar, located in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, a crisis is unfolding. For the past 20 years, the town has been vulnerable to flooding and environmental changes, and recently, the situation has worsened.
The Interoceanic Corridor megaproject, spanning Mexico's shortest route from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, has contributed to the flooding issues in San Mateo del Mar. The increasingly severe tidal disturbances over the past four years have been caused by the expansion of the breakwater at the neighboring port of Salina Cruz, which is part of the Interoceanic Corridor.
The Pacific Ocean has advanced into Cuauhtémoc, a neighborhood in San Mateo del Mar populated largely by the Indigenous people known as the Ikoots or Huave, by approximately 700 meters. This advancement has impacted the area's economy and culture, forcing the cancellation of school and disrupting daily life for nearly 800 families.
The flooding has left knee-deep water in the streets and homes of San Mateo del Mar. Classrooms, the health clinic, and the church have been impacted by the floodwaters. María Hernández, a resident of San Mateo del Mar, expressed the need for a "real solution" to the flooding issue, stating that "the sea is winning the battle, and families can't continue living like this."
In response to the crisis, the residents of San Mateo del Mar voted in favor of a federal plan to relocate the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood to Cerro Paloma, a hill 3 kilometers inland within the same municipality. However, disillusionment has grown among the residents as they wait for authorities to provide funding and begin construction of the relocation.
The Ikoots or Huave, the Indigenous people of Cuauhtémoc, face an uncertain future due to the ongoing flooding and potential relocation. They have a deep cultural and spiritual connection to the sea, subsisting mainly on fishing and gathering shellfish. A report by the Istmo Press, an investigative news agency based in Oaxaca, noted that Cuauhtémoc is being swept away by the sea due to the construction of the Interoceanic Corridor.
The current status of the federal plan for relocating the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood in Cerro Paloma involves ongoing negotiations and initial resettlement efforts. The government is working on infrastructure and housing improvements, but faces delays due to community resistance and logistical challenges. Many families in San Mateo del Mar have chosen to stay closer to home instead of seeking refuge in local shelters.
San Mateo del Mar is a 30-minute drive from Salina Cruz, located on the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The tide has repeatedly risen over the past two decades, eroding beaches and pushing water into residential areas. The crisis in San Mateo del Mar serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of large-scale infrastructure projects on vulnerable communities.
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