Worried Angelenos Turn to Latin Media for News on Quake

The Spanish-language news media in Los Angeles published special editions and expanded news broadcasts Thursday as thousands of concerned Southern Californians sought information about the disastrous earthquake in Mexico and the fate of relatives.

Many people also wanted to know how they could help victims of the earthquake, and by late Thursday, some assistance efforts were being organized by the American Red Cross, the Mexican Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles and others.

Early in the day, scores of frightened people pressed for news of their loved ones. But the Mexican Consulate General in Los Angeles reported that its telex was not working and its personnel could not communicate with government representatives in Mexico City.

Worried members of Southern California’s community of more than 2 million Mexican-Americans turned to the Spanish-language media, including the newspaper La Opinion, radio stations KALI and KWKW, and KMEX-TV Channel 34, hoping for information on specific neighborhoods where their families lived.

Phones Keep Ringing

“Our phones have not stopped since 7 a.m.,” said Jose Lozano, assistant to the publisher of La Opinion, which has a circulation of 82,000. To speed the flow of information, La Opinion put out an extra edition late Thursday on the disaster--the first time the paper has done so. Channel 34 interrupted regular programming about every half hour with the latest information.

Merchants on Olvera Street crowded around radios and television sets, eager for details. Not far away, 24-year-old Sabrina Montes, a computer operator at the Our Lady Queen of Angels Church, repeatedly tried to telephone her parents, brothers and sisters in Mexico City.

“All I reach is a tape recording,” she said. “I’m very worried.”

Agustin Garcia-Lopez, consul general of Mexico in Los Angeles, appeared on Channel 34 on Thursday afternoon to appeal for calm within the local Mexican-American community.

Trying to Avoid Panic

“We all have parents or relatives there,” he said, “but we should be careful and not create a panic situation.”

The situation was tense for Garcia-Lopez himself, said his wife, Antonia, who was at the consulate in the Olvera Street area Thursday, helping with the crush of phone calls.

“We have a son there,” she said. “All my sisters, everybody is scattered all over Mexico City. Everybody here at the consulate has family there. We’re all just waiting, and I wanted to be here.”

The same was true at La Opinion, Lozano said. “Most of us have family there,” he said. “My dad’s sister, her husband and all my cousins are in Mexico City.”

Like so many others in Los Angeles, he had no word of them. “But we’re really not giving into that sort of luxury now,” he said. “We’re covering the story.”

The Mexican Consulate announced that three groups have been organized to deal with requests: one, to coordinate official earthquake information from the Mexican government once it is obtained; another to gather information on how and where to give donations, and a third to expedite visas and passports for those wishing to rejoin their families in Mexico.

Relief Efforts Begin

Meanwhile, efforts to help the victims began.

Mayor Tom Bradley sent a telegram to Ramon Aguirre, mayor of Mexico City, saying: “The people of Los Angeles join me in sending sympathy to you and the people of Mexico City in this time of devastation from the earthquake. . . . Your sister city stands ready to help in any way possible.”

Radio station KALI (1430 AM) started a “radiothon” to raise money for disaster assistance, and the Mexican Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles planned to become a “reception center” for donations, according to a spokesman.

The American Red Cross opened an emergency operations center to provide earthquake information and to answer questions on donations.

The agency is asking that donations be mailed to the American Red Cross at 2700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca. 90057, “earmarked for the Mexican earthquake,” spokeswoman Peggy McGinley said.

“We do not accept donations of food,” she added. “The fastest way for us to help is by sending money.”

Although there were news reports that blood is needed, McGinley said: “We have not received any requests from the Mexican Red Cross, so we are not sending any. As soon as we do, we’ll send it as quickly as we can.”