Tornado Cuts 5 Km. Swath Through Acuña
13 confirmed dead, 211 Injured, 8 missing
A.D. Ibarra
-Acuña, Coahuila
An F-3 tornado devastated several areas of our neighboring city of Acuña which awakened people at the very hour that people were preparing to go to work, school and as children were being transported to day care centers.
Witnesses said they saw a white cloud like fog move at high speeds when the wind began to lift vehicles, school buses and vans, leaving them inside homes in the Colonias Santa Teresa, San Alberto and Valle del Sol among others.
"There was what looked like a white cloud or fog," said one of the residents of Colonia Santa Teresa who found a wrecked car in his front lawn besides the arch at the entrance of the colonia in his living room, "We took our children and ran to the back room, and meanwhile, we could hear the sounds of breaking glass as we ran to the back of our home. It did not take more than six seconds. But look at the destruction! We no longer have a house."
Officers Eloisa Vasquez and Oralia Felix took a moment to inform us of the first details of what happened while hundreds of people were randomly meandering on the city streets wondering what to do, where to go, whether to clean, to look for items to salvage and to see what was lost.
"We are providing support as we can, obtaining data and ensuring that there is no looting as there are people who can't see that this was a disaster and people need help," Vasquez said the official.
In total there were 13 official deaths when we were there amongst the rubble witnessing first hand the devastation when we ran into the president of the Mexican Red Cross Victor Chavez who gave us the official figures thus far: 850 families affected, 50% of families in the affected area on 12 blocks were adversely affected with 79 homes showing total losses. It was also reported that there are up to eight people missing including a woman and her one and a half year-old daughter.
"Venemos of Piedras Negras and Acuña are those of Monclova to come," they told the Red Cross, "The hospitals are full. Not given supply, but sise attended all."
According to official reports the tornado cut a swath five kilometers long through the affected area. Governor Enrique Moreira could also be seen touring the area with several other federal, state and local agencies providing assistance, monitoring the population and monitoring the clean-up process as heavy machinery and huge dump trucks carrying away the debris along with many tow trucks attempting to clear the dozens of absolutely crushed vehicles scattered throughout the area.
