VZCZCXRO8013
OO RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHM RUEHHO RUEHJO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHPOD
RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #4512/01 2342226
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 222226Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8549
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHXI/LABOR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN PRIORITY 0014
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 0381
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0342
RHMFIUU/CDR USNORTHCOM PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MEXICO 004512 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR A/S SHANNON 
STATE FOR WHA/MEX, WHA/EPSC, EB/IFD/OMA, EB/IFD/OIA, AND 
DRL/AWH 
STATE FOR EB/ESC MCMANUS AND IZZO 
USDOC FOR 4320/ITA/MAC/WHA/ONAFTA/GERI WORD 
USDOC FOR ITS/TD/ENERGY DIVISION 
TREASURY FOR IA (ALICE FAIBISHENKO) 
DOE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS KDEUTSCH AND ALOCKWOOD 
NSC FOR RICHARD MILES, DAN FISK 
STATE PASS TO USTR (EISSENSTAT/MELLE) 
STATE PASS TO FEDERAL RESERVE (CARLOS ARTETA) 
USDOC PASS TO EXIM AND OPIC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EAID EAGR ENER PGOV MX
SUBJECT: ECONOMIC COSTS OF HURRICANE DEAN IN MEXICO 
 
MEXICO 00004512  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary and Introduction 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary. Thirty-six hours after Hurricane Dean 
struck land along the southern edge of Mexico's Yucatan 
peninsula as a category 5 hurricane preliminary assessments 
show that damage is less than predicted.  The tourism 
industry was minimally affected as the famed Riviera Maya 
received less than tropical storm force winds.  Local 
authorities were also better at getting information out and 
encouraging people to leave than during 2005's Hurricane 
Wilma.   Pemex is still assessing damage to Mexico's oil 
capabilities but already predict annual production to be 
lower than previously estimated due to preventative 
shutdowns.  Pemex hopes to resume normal operations of August 
¶24.  The agricultural industry in the area was most affected 
with thousands of hectares damaged.  Authorities are still 
monitoring the effects in the Yucatan and from Dean's second 
landfall near the port of Veracruz.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) According to Risk Management Solutions, Dean will cost 
around USD 1.5 billion to insurance companies, of which only 
USD 300 million correspond to Mexico.  Representatives from 
the company explained that if Dean had made landfall in one 
of the more northern areas of the peninsula, i.e. Cancun or 
Cozumel for example, losses would have been approximately 
three times larger. 
 
Tourism 
------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The tourism industry dodged the proverbial bullet 
when Dean took a more southerly path.  While it's still too 
early to have exact monetary figures, the damage is estimated 
to be minimal.  The zone that was struck by the hurricane is 
a poorer area inhabited mostly by descendants of the Mayas 
and does not have the tourist developments seen in the north. 
 
 
¶4. (U) The Association of Riviera Maya Hotels (AHRM) reported 
that before the hurricane the occupancy rate was 80%, and 
after tourists were evacuated, the occupancy rate was 30%. 
According to the association, 18,000 tourists remained in 
Cancun and the Riviera Maya.  In total, in Quintana Roo, 
there are 33,700 tourists.  However, they expect to return to 
the normal occupancy rate soon since the Cancun airport 
reopened at 0800 on August 21.  The association also reported 
that hotels did not suffer structural damage, only minor 
damage such as broken windows.  Cancun resort Sol Melia 
reported that there was little erosion on Cancun beaches and 
only slight damage to some rooms from flooding.  Power and 
water was cut briefly to prevent electrical shocks but has 
since been reestablished. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Unlike Wilma, which created chaos in Yucatan tourist 
destinations, local authorities were better prepared for 
Hurricane Dean.  They facilitated the departure of many 
before airports were forced to close, and evacuated people to 
shelters in advance of the hurricane's arrival.  The Governor 
and government spokespeople informed the population about the 
risks of the hurricane, motivating people to seek shelter and 
protect households and businesses.  The Governor publicly 
encouraged airlines to stop bringing incoming tourists. By 
August 20, when government declared "Orange Alert', the 
airlines were prohibited from bringing in additional 
passengers.  Airlines added a great many outgoing seats, even 
 
MEXICO 00004512  002 OF 003 
 
 
flying in empty planes to do so.   As a result, many tourists 
were able to evacuate high-risk areas.    AHRM also did a 
better job of keeping track of tourists this time through a 
website created specifically for this purpose 
(www.rivieramayaguestlocator.com).  Not only did the website 
help locate tourists, it also provided information on shelter 
locations. 
 
Energy 
------ 
 
¶6. (SBU) In preparation for Hurricane Dean, the Mexican 
government (GOM) ordered evacuation of oil platforms in the 
path of the hurricane.  A total of 18,197 Petroleos Mexicanos 
(Pemex) employees were evacuated.  The GOM closed 407 wells 
in the Sound of Campeche, suspending production of 2.65 
million barrels of oil per day and 2.634 billion cubic feet 
of natural gas per day.  In the "Northern Region," Pemex 
closed 32 wells -- suspending production of 18,000 more 
barrels of crude per day and 130 million cubic feet of 
natural gas per day.  Local press reports that according 
Carlos Morales Gil, Director General of Pemex Exploration and 
Production, the cost of the evacuation totaled around USD 3.6 
million. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Celina Torres, Pemex's Manager of Foreign Investor 
Relations told EconOff that Pemex hopes to resume normal 
operations on Friday, August 24.  She noted they are 
currently conducting assessments to determine damage, 
including to oil platforms.  She also said that Pemex is 
evaluating the impact on production, exports, maquila, 
revenue, tax contribution, etc.  Before the hurricane, crude 
inventories in the area totaled more than 10.5 million 
barrels.  Conservative newspaper El Universal reported that 
Pemex's Finance Department plans to revise its production 
estimates downward as they had previously expected to produce 
the largest amount of oil for the year during the months of 
July thru September. 
 
¶8. (U) Pemex's Emergency Committee authorized technical 
personnel return to oil facilities in the Sound of Campeche 
to try to resume operations as of noon on August 22. 
Specialized personnel have been dispatched to inspect the 
facilities.  Pemex Director committed to resume full 
operations as soon as possible.  Barring major damages, 
facilities will be up to 80% at the beginning of next week 
and will return to 100% by September 1.   When ports reopen, 
distribution will be resumed as well. 
 
Agriculture 
----------- 
 
9.(U) Dean devastated agriculture in the Yucatan peninsula. 
There are press reports that damage is not as bad as 
currently believed.  Septel will follow with more details. 
Local governments report that 25,000 hectares of corn were 
lost, there was damage to 50% of sugar cane production, and 
thousands of hectares of vegetable, peanut, chilis, and 
citrus crops were damaged.  The beekeeping industry was also 
hurt.  Small fishing towns such as Scalak and Punta Herrero 
and other poor communities were leveled, although no 
casualties have been reported.  The newspaper El Universal 
reports that 70% of Ciudad del Carmen is under water. 
Financiera Rural, a Mexican government organization that 
provides credit for rural projects, announced that it will 
channel 50 million Mexican pesos to areas affected by the 
 
MEXICO 00004512  003 OF 003 
 
 
hurricane. 
 
Monitoring will Continue 
------------------------ 
 
¶10. (U) The storm made landfall again at the small town of 
Tecolutla, north of Veracruz, Mexico's busiest shipping port. 
As a precaution the Laguna Verde nuclear plant in the state 
of Veracruz was closed.  Current reports detail flooding and 
damage in the small fishing villages that dot the coast. 
Authorities are still gathering information on the amount of 
destruction caused by Dean, but agree that the outcome is 
less dire than expected as the hurricane's trajectory took it 
through less developed areas. 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American 
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
GARZA