Hurricane Emily batters Mexican Riviera

Hurricane Emily stranded thousands of tourists along Mexico’s luxurious Mayan Riviera and left hundreds of local residents homeless yesterday, forcing many to remain in crowded, leaky shelters.

As residents of Yucatan Peninsula resorts including Playa del Carmen and Tulum began wading through knee-deep flood waters to assess damage under a light drizzle, the storm barrelled out into the Gulf of Mexico.

There were no reports of death or serious injuries.

Emily was expected to regain strength before slamming into Mexico’s north-east coastline.

Residents of small coastal fishing villages, in the port of Tampico and along Texas’ southern coastline boarded up windows and evacuated low-lying areas. Mexico’s state-run oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, evacuated 15,000 oil workers from Gulf rigs in the storm’s path.

Damage from the hurricane was evident across the eastern Yucatan, famous for its white-sand beaches and turquoise waters.

Power was knocked out all along the coast. The wind ripped roofs off luxury hotels, and snapped concrete utility poles in two along a half-mile stretch of highway between Playa del Carmen and the famous resort of Cancun to the north.

Plate glass windows were shattered on the ground floors of numerous businesses in Playa del Carmen, while residents waded through knee-deep water flooding some streets.

President Vicente Fox visited the island of Cozumel and other affected areas, along with key Cabinet members.

“The coming of this hurricane has really allowed us to put to the test the capacities of the country in terms of risk prevention,” he said. “I think we have demonstrated that they are very far-reaching and capable.”

Gabriela Rodriguez, tourism secretary for Quintana Roo state, which includes Cancun and Playa del Carmen, said the worst damage was in Puerto Aventuras, where the storm’s eye came ashore, and in Tulum, a collection of thatched hut hotels along a secluded strip of beach that is popular with backpackers.

State officials reported little damage to the ancient pyramids in Tulum or elsewhere, but a special team of archaeologists was to inspect sites throughout the state.

Tulum’s streets were deserted yesterday and the village was without electricity, according to officials reached by telephone.

Emily’s wind speeds reached 135 mph, making it a fierce Category 4 storm when it hit Mexico. It weakened as it passed over the Yucatan Peninsula early yesterday with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.