NEARLY A HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS DUE TO TIDAL WAVES IN THEIR COMMUNITY

On November 1, 2023, eighty-four people from the El Bosque community in Southern Mexico were evacuated. They were forced to leave their homes due to rising sea levels eroding vast areas of the fishing community that has been their home for years. Barely two weeks after their evacuation to nearby Frontera, the Mexican government evicted everyone from the temporary shelters it had provided them. This is in spite of the fact that many of the families have been rendered homeless with little or no resources to buy food, medicines or to pay rent.

Since 2019, the coastline of El Bosque has lost 200 meters (about 656.17 ft) of land due to constant tidal waves and extreme weather conditions. As a result, many homes and community infrastructure have been destroyed. Schools have also been affected, forcing children to attend classes in inadequate makeshift structures. The community has also been battling several challenges including the infiltration of its wells by seawater, poor and inconsistent healthcare services, and intermittent electricity supply. 

A photo of the extent of destruction caused by tidal waves. Imgae credit: Comunidad el Bosque

In April 2023, Mexican authorities promised to relocate the community to mitigate the impact of the climate crisis on families there, but that is yet to happen.

The situation in El Bosque and in Acapulco,  a well-known resort town that was hit on October 25 by the strongest storm ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast, point to the failure of the Mexican government to protect marginalized people who are most affected by the climate crisis.