Mexico says rebuilding after floods will take years

Mexico City, Nov 13 - The Mexican state of Tabasco Tuesday said it will take the administration more than six years to rebuild from the devastations of floods that submerged 80 percent of the region, Spanish news agency EFE reported Tuesday.

Humberto Mayans, a top aide to Governor Andres Granier, told reporters that official figures indicate more than one million people, scattered across 1,039 localities, suffered serious losses in the floods.

He said 'an enormous effort' was needed, and that 'it will undoubtedly take much longer than six years to restore Tabasco'.

'For restoring the hundreds of thousands of damaged homes, highways, agriculture, thousands of small and medium-sized business units, workshops and industries will entail a great deal of sacrifice,' the news agency quoted him as saying Monday.

Mayans said Tabasco authorities are creating a citizens' committee to guard the resources and household goods donated by civilians, state governments and other countries, to make sure they reach the distressed.

Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has launched a campaign to mobilize aid in the form of equipment and provisions to Tabasco.

The California governor has already sent a shipment of inflatable boats for rescue operations. Outboard motors, boat-repair equipment, propellers for boat motors, oars, tanks of gasoline, neoprene suits, life jackets, sleeping bags, blankets, electric generators are being provided.

The ministry also said a plane from California arrived in Mexico City International Airport Saturday night, with 47 tonnes of aid, mainly camp beds and food.

The shipment was 'the biggest Mexico has received so far from abroad', the note said.

In addition, three containers with 30 tonnes of food and personal hygiene articles were expected to arrive at the border town of Nuevo Laredo Wednesday for Tabasco evacuees.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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