Mexico Digging Out After Hurricane Many Acapulco Schools Reopen, But Disease, Hunger Still A Threat In Some Areas

Wearing a blue surgical mask to keep from swallowing the dust that is choking Acapulco’s poor neighborhoods, a 10-year-old girl skipped to school on Monday - just like any other day.

But sixth grader Isisnyx Ramirez quickly found out that Hurricane Pauline had changed everything.

At her first day of school since the hurricane tore through this Pacific coast city Oct. 9, Isisnyx learned that a torrent of water and mud swept away her friend, one of nine students from Francisco Villa Elementary School who were killed in the deluge.

“I felt horrible when I got here and found out everything,” said Isisnyx, carrying the white, pressed uniform she wears as a member of the school’s flag team.

Only 40 of the school’s 360 students returned to class Monday, trudging through the ubiquitous dirt and debris. Because so few students showed up, and because the school remained without running water, the principal canceled classes again.

Hurricane Pauline whipped up heavy rains and flash floods that swept through Acapulco, washing away thousands of houses and killing at least 150 people. Nationwide, at least 240 died.

President Ernesto Zedillo, touring the state of Oaxaca on Sunday, said the emergency was under control and Mexico must start reconstruction. Still, concerns remained high about the spread of water-borne diseases and hunger, especially in isolated communities that rescue workers have not been able to reach.

Health authorities said they were launching efforts in Oaxaca to combat dengue, an infectious tropical disease. Cholera also remained a concern.

In Acapulco, about 44 percent of the city’s 583 schools reopened on Monday. More were to open their doors later in the week. Overall, the storm damaged 339 schools and destroyed two. Zedillo, who made his third trip here Saturday, passed out one of 15,000 packages of textbooks to urge students to return to school.