Flood victims reel in Mexico’s Tabasco state

VILLAHERMOSA, MEXICO — The displaced men and women of this flooded state capital patiently line up to appear on a local TV station that has been broadcasting their messages day and night.

They speak quickly, mindful of others waiting. They say they’re at a shelter and are OK. Some hold up handwritten signs with cellphone numbers and beg relatives to call. One woman, eight months pregnant, asks viewers for information about her missing parents. They know it’s a long shot. Few buildings have power for TVs.

But hope is all that remains for many of the estimated 1 million residents driven from their homes by floodwater that still covers more than three-quarters of the Gulf state of Tabasco. Many lost their possessions in water that rose as high as three stories.

About half the population reportedly was displaced by the flooding triggered by heavy rains last week. One death has been confirmed.

In neighboring Chiapas state, which borders on Guatemala, the Associated Press said the civil defense department reported finding seven bodies Friday and Saturday -- six adults swept away by swollen rivers and an 8-year-old girl who fell from a bridge.

In Tabasco, rescuers continued to ferry stranded families from rooftops Saturday, and tens of thousands of people joined a bumper-to-bumper exodus to higher ground in neighboring states.

“We couldn’t bring much,” said Teresa Robles Pintado, 47, one of 800 people at a school serving as a shelter here. “We were rescued in small launches, and they wouldn’t let us bring clothes or anything because they needed to hurry and get other people.”

Government officials planned for 500 people to stay at the Jacoba Vazquez School. But a severe shortage of shelters has forced evacuees to cram together, and even then there has been room for only a small fraction of Tabasco’s displaced.

“A lot of people are starting to feel sick with headaches and colds,” shelter volunteer Jocelyn Garcia said. “We’re worried because a lot them are complaining about stomach problems, and we have no medicine, not even aspirin.”

Officials said they were worried about the spread of water-borne diseases as the increasingly fetid water warmed in the tropical weather.

Rain returned overnight Friday, but the sun shone most of the day Saturday. Forecasters said the worst of the storms were over for now.

Artist Edna Badillo, 35, said she abandoned her third-floor apartment in downtown Villahermosa after the city suffered its worst flooding early Friday. She made the decision after looking out her window and seeing dead rats among the flotsam in the brown water.

“My boyfriend didn’t want to leave,” she said. “I left him the keys, packed my stuff and left. I value my life over any material things.”

One thousand more Mexican soldiers arrived Saturday, bringing to 13,000 the number of soldiers, sailors and federal police officers helping with rescues and maintaining order.

Tabasco Gov. Andres Granier grew angry when he was shown video of looters carting off electronics from a store here. “They’re not even taking food. Look at what they’re taking. There’s not even electricity for that stuff,” he said.

Armando Lopez, 59, who is staying in a shelter, said he figured he and his family had lost everything they owned.

“I had a few neighbors who stayed behind to guard their belongings,” he said. “I sure hope they were able to save themselves because now they’re without drinking water, electricity or food.”

sam.enriquez@latimes.com

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Uribe reported from Villahermosa and Enriquez from Mexico City. Cecilia Sanchez in The Times’ Mexico City Bureau contributed to this report.

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How to help

These are some of the organizations collecting donations to assist flood victims and relief efforts. Bank account numbers were provided by the Mexican government.

Catholic Relief Services

www.crs.org or (877) HELP-CRS

UNICEF

www.unicefusa.org or (800) 4-UNICEF

World Vision

www.worldvision.org or (888) 56-CHILD

Scotiabank

account 00100911240

HSBC bank

account 4000943274

Wells Fargo bank

account 599253401

Bancomer bank

account 2280300127

Local Red Cross offices