Hurricane Karl

Tropical Storm Karl moving ashore in the Yucatán Peninsula on September 15

Upon the formation of a tropical cyclone, the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning for the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, extending from Chetumal northward to Cabo Catoche. Additionally, a tropical storm watch was in place for the coast of northern Belize, from Belize City to the Belize–Mexico border.[10] At the threat of a storm, authorities in Honduras declared a green alert for the entire country; a yellow alert was to remain in effect for 36 hours in the Bay Islands Department.[20][lower-alpha 1] El Cajón, a major hydroelectric power plant located in western Honduras, discharged some of its water reservoir into connecting rivers to prevent flooding of surrounding low-lying areas. Port officials along the coastlines were advised to take necessary precautions due to rough sea conditions.[21] In Belize, seaports secured their supplies and halted operations to ensure the safety of seafaring vessels and marine workers.[22] Schools were closed in the northern districts of Corozal and Orange Walk, as well as in San Pedro Town and Caye Caulker during the storm's passage.[23]

In Quintana Roo, officials opened shelters and ordered the evacuation of low-lying areas along the storm's projected path. Hundreds of people were displaced at Banco Chinchorro, an atoll reef and diving center near Majahual. In Carillo Puerto, located to the south of the archaeological ruins of Tulum, authorities readied concrete residences to provide shelter to some hundred communities of indigenous Mayans.[24] As Karl moved further inland, orange alerts were declared in Campeche for the municipalities of Hopelchén and Calakmul, while the rest of the state remained under yellow alert.[25] Shelters were opened near flood-prone areas in the cities of Campeche, Champotón and the municipality of Calkiní (Isla Arena). Local residents were urged not to take out their trash for three days, as collection services were to be suspended at the threat of torrential rainfall.[26]

The government of the Veracruz issued a red alert as Karl approached the state's coastline; eight municipalities were placed under mandatory coastal evacuation orders. Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Station, located in the Veracruz coastline, stopped its operations as a precaution. Additionally, Pemex evacuated its facilities on the Gulf of Mexico that were located in Karl's path.[27] World oil prices rose rapidly on September 17 as the company stopped production on 14 of its wells. The prices climbed 54 cents to 75.11 dollars a barrel.[28]

As Karl struck the coast of Quintana Roo, heavy precipitation amounting up to 6.2 inches (157 mm) in some areas resulted in scattered flooding.[29] At the height of the storm, a total of 54,265 residents were without power, but most had their electricity restored within a day.[30] Some 600 homes in Chetumal suffered inundations of up to 4.9 ft (1.5 m), forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.[29][31] High winds reportedly uprooted several trees in Bacalar, a small village near the city.[24] The municipalities of Othon P. Blanco, Carillo Puerto, and José María Morelos reported copious losses in agriculture; an estimated total of 11,650 hectares of crop were affected, with 3,477 hectares of maiz crop destroyed. Approximately 7,800 hectares of sugarcane along the banks of the Hondo River were lost, resulting in economic losses of Mex$76 million (US$6.23 million).[32] In Othon P. Blanco, 477 hectares of jalapeño chili peppers were lost while banana, cassava and citrus plantations in the area sustained significant wind damage.[33] In total, damage to roads, structures and properties in the municipality was estimated at Mex$120 million (US$9.9 million).[34]

Though there were no reports of major damage, strong winds in Belize downed utility poles, grounded water crafts and caused power outages along the Belize–Mexico border.[23] Further inland in Campeche, maximum 24-hour rainfall accumulations totaled no more than 0.95 inches (24 mm), and little damage was reported.[25][35] The storm left no fatalities in its wake in the peninsula, as its landfall occurred in a sparsely populated area.[36]

Succeeding one of Mexico's wettest seasons on record, torrential rains from Karl brought on historic flooding that lead to great destruction across Veracruz.[37] The heaviest precipitation occurred adjacent to and northward of the storm's track, with localized accumulations of up to 17.83 inches (455 mm) recorded in Misantla. On landfall, major-hurricane-force winds uprooted hundred thousands of trees and caused widespread power outages, leaving up to 280,000 customers in the dark.[38] The disaster affected at least 163 of the state's 212 municipalities, and several days after its passage more than half of the territory remained submerged by the flood waters.[39][37] It caused the largest population displacement in the region's history; about 150,000 residents evacuated to a total of 423 storm shelters statewide.[40] Karl claimed the lives of a confirmed twelve people in the state,[41][42] among which a 40-year-old woman, along with her two- and three-year-old grandchildren in Cotaxtla, and a 54-year-old and an 87-year-old in Felipe Carrillo.[43] Two other fatalities were however mentioned as being possibly attributed to the storm in an official government press release on September 24, 2010.[41]

In addition to the loss of life, structural damage in the state was widespread and particularly severe. In Cotaxtla, damaging muddy waters up to 12 m (39 ft) high left much of the municipality inundated and scores structures encased in mud. In some areas, the flooding was described as being "unprecedented".[44] Carrillo Puerto suffered similar damage; two people were reported missing in the city.[45] The impact on the vegetation was particularly notable in Boca del Río—situated near the mouth of the Jamapa River—where the winds downed well over 400,000 trees;[46] a consequent clogging of the river mouth prompted about 30,000 people to evacuate from adjacent areas.[47] In Puebla, two people were killed after their home was destroyed in a landslide.[48] A third person was killed in Tabasco after she drowned in her flooded home.[49] An estimated 200,000 residences were left without power as a result of Karl.[50]

In total, Karl killed 16 people and left 11 others missing.[45][51][52] An estimated 15.8 million people were affected by the storm throughout Mexico.[53] Preliminary assessments placed the damage from Karl in Veracruz at 70 billion MXN (US$5.6 billion).[54][55] In Puebla, losses from the storm reached 200 million MXN (US$16 million).[56] Final estimates of economic losses throughout Mexico total MXN50 billion (US$3.9 billion), with insured losses at MXN2.5 billion (US$200 million).[3]