Update 14: Ameca Bridge to re-open for traffic on Dec, 8th 2010. Read more here.
Update 13: Watch the Flood Update Video at El Guamuchil here. A community united against adversity.
Update 12: Watch the Sayulita Flooding Update Video here. See how people are dealing with the flood and hear their stories.
Update 11: On Monday, after a few hours of unusually intense early-afternoon rain, local authorities decided to stop all traffic at two points – the Sayulita-Bucerias stretch on Highway 200 and the Sayulita-Higuera Blanca stretch on the alternate route. North-south traffic from these points is stopped until further notice.
Update 10: On Sunday, September 5th at Km 125 on Highway 200, a large landslide covered both sides of the road. Traffic is being re-routed from Sayulita, towards Punta de Mita, through La Cruz, and continuing on to Bucerias. Bahia de Banderas Mayor Hector Paniagua commented that the water deteriorated the foundations of the highway and that it will require major repairs. No timeline is available as of now. Until the road is repaired, all traffic will have to divert to Punta de Mita to cross this area.
Update 9: Heavy rains caused San Pancho's only bridge to collapse last night. Read more here, and see our flood update video here.
Update 8: On Thursday, September 2nd at 2:24 P.M., the Mexican Marines found the body of Pedro Joel Osorio Flores, the third passenger in the taxi that plummeted into the Ameca on Aug 31. His body was located in front of Destiladeras Beach about 23 km (14.3 miles) from the Ameca River. Joel Osorio was 30 years old and he lived in Valle Dorado.
Update 7: Buses and other forms of public transportation are now allowed to move across the Ameca Bridge.
Update 6: PV Pulse recently had an exclusive interview with Delia Joya Rodriguez, the sister of Marcos Rodriguez, the taxi driver who survived the recent collapse of the north-bound Ameca Bridge. Click here for the full article: "Marcos' Story: The Taxi Driver Who Plummeted into the Ameca."
Update 5: A PV Pulse fan informed us that the drive from Nuevo Vallarta to Marina Vallarta took approximately 45 minutes as of 7:30 A.M. Wednesday morning (September 1st). All of the traffic is moving consistently and working together politely. PV Pulse recommends that you carpool in that area if possible, and plan your trip accordingly. It's great to see how everyone in the community has been working together!
Update 4: Eyewitnesses report small cars are moving across the "new bridge" heading both north and south. It is recommended that people avoid the bridge unless it is an emergency to keep traffic flowing and to avoid traffic jams. No heavy trucks are allowed on the bridge at this time. PV Pulse fans report that: "Small vehicles are crossing the bridge with no delay at this time (7:00 P.M., August 31st)". It is expected that tomorrow when people resume their daily activities, there will be some delays to cross the bridge, but the flow is expected to move efficiently. We will keep you posted.
Update 3: Governor Emilio Gonzalez issued a statement saying that the south-bound bridge will be re-opened for transportation for light passage. Read more below.
Update 2: Free maritime transportation is being offered by Vallarta Adventures from the Paradise Village Marina to the Maritime Terminal API on August 31. Read more below.
Update 1: Volunteers are helping people get across the bay - a great story. Read more below.
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Full Story: The north-bound bridge over the Ameca River collapsed last night at 2:30 A.M. Nayarit's Governor Ney Gonzalez confirmed via Facebook that the bridge collapsed due to intense currents. Reports state that no traffic is moving in either direction.
At approximately 2:30 A.M. on August 31, the north-bound (old) Ameca bridge that connects Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit collapsed. It is reported that about 60 meters (totaling two sections) of the bridge fell into the river. Minutes later, local authorities stopped circulation on both bridges. At the scene are military personnel, Civil Protection, the fire department, municipal police, the Red Cross, and the Marines.
Authorities are at the scene searching for missing persons. Two people were rescued from a taxi that fell in the water, a third person is still missing. Civil Protection reports that it was the tensors that failed. Eyewitnesses say that no one, not even pedestrians, can cross the bridge. Civil Protection personnel at the scene commented that the south-bound bridge is currently closed to vehicles and pedestrians and that this is expected to last several hours, and possibly all day. People traveling north from Puerto Vallarta or south from Riviera Nayarit should postpone their trip or take a water taxi. Water taxis are available at the Nuevo Vallarta Marina , Paradise Marina, and Riviera Nayarit Marina at La Cruz.
At 4:30 A.M., local authorities closed traffic on the south-bound Ameca bridge to Puerto Vallarta, and they are awaiting specialized personnel from the SCT to evaluate the new bridge (which is downriver from the collapsed bridge) for safety. Federal and state police in Compostela are asking south-bound traffic on Highway 200 to turn back to avoid traffic problems.
Jalisco's Governor Emilio Gonzalez Marquez arrived in Puerto Vallarta this morning and issued a statement in which he mentioned that they have implemented an "air bridge" of helicopters that are available to get people back and forth to hospitals for medical emergencies. The governor also mentioned that two other bridges in the area of Las Palmas, Jalisco had also collapsed last night.
The legislative branch is requesting 100 million pesos from the Jalisco Congress to repair all three bridges affected in the state.
Centro Universitario de la Costa's main meteorologist said that on the night before the collapse, the University recorded high levels of rainfall. He mentioned that there are unconfirmed reports from the region of San Juan de Abajo of extremely high levels of rain. In his words, the 178.5 mm of rain was "comparable to one month of rain in one night."
Governor Emilio Gonzalez issued a statement saying that the south-bound bridge will be re-opened for transportation for light passage (taxis and passenger cars only). No heavy trucks are currently allowed. Eyewitnesses have reported small cars moving across the "new bridge" heading both north and south. It is recommended that people avoid the bridge unless it is an emergency to keep traffic flowing and avoid traffic jams. No heavy trucks are allowed on the bridge for now.
Free maritime transportation is being offered by Vallarta Adventures from the Paradise Village Marina to the main maritime port API today. The schedule is as follows:
11:00 A.M. from the Paradise Village Marina to the main Maritime Terminal API in Puerto Vallarta (approximately 45 minutes).
12:00 P.M. from API to the Paradise Village Marina.
1:00 P.M. from the Paradise Village Marina to API.
2:00 P.M. from API to the Paradise Village Marina.
3:00 P.M. from the Paradise Village Marina to API.
4:00 P.M. from API to the Paradise Village Marina.
5:00 P.M. from the Paradise Village Marina to API.
6:00 P.M. from API to the Paradise Village Marina.
A big thank you to all those who are helping people get across the bay. Since 8:00 today, Vallarta Adventures, Bahia Alegre, Cruceros Princesa, Beach Boy, Bubu's Toy, and Vallarta Sol have been taking people across from Nayarit to Jalisco and back for free.
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More details to come as we receive them.
pv pulse - News for Puerto Vallarta & Riviera Nayarit
