Mexico Earthquake Recovery

June 27, 2019–This week, thanks to the generosity of our long-time partner Honeywell, and with partner organization Ninos En Alegria—a nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the infrastructure of schools in marginalized areas of Guerrero state—we broke ground on a school reconstruction project in Zihuatanejo. The Federal school will serve 213 students and 7 teachers in 6 classrooms alongside new restroom facilities and a canteen. We are so pleased to be a part of this meaningful project, and are so grateful to all partners and supporters who make this work possible.

 

Visit us on Facebook here to see photos from the groundbreaking ceremony.

 

 

March 12, 2018–Last week, a shipment of relief and recovery materials left the OpUSA warehouse in Port of LA for the General Hospital in Cuernavaca, in the Morelos state of Mexico. The shipment contains medical equipment and supplies, including baby warmers, incubators, ventilators, gurneys, lighting, cleaning and sanitizing materials and anesthesia machines. We are grateful to our partners and supporters who have made this important recovery delivery possible!

 

 

February 16, 2018–A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the state of Oaxaca, Mexico today, knocking out power, damaging homes and triggering hundreds of after shocks. Early reports show minimal damage and loss of life, though panic was widespread as many people recalled the major earthquakes which struck the country and killed hundreds just months ago.

 

OpUSA, already having initiated relief and recovery programs after the September earthquakes, now reaffirms our commitment to our southern friends and neighbors and our partners in Mexico. We will assess opportunities to provide additional aid as further damage becomes known. Donations in support of these efforts can be made at give.opusa.org.

 

 

November 3, 2017–After traveling to Mexico to meet with existing and new partners, OpUSA CEO Richard Walden has been working to identify opportunities to provide assistance via cash grants and the shipment of medical equipment and supplies. OpUSA will assist community-based organizations in impacted communities as much as funding allows during the recovery and reconstruction phase.

 

 

October 6, 2017–Over the past two weeks, Operation USA has worked diligently to connect with existing partners on the ground in Mexico and to establish new partnerships through which aid will be distributed to impacted communities. CEO Richard Walden will travel to Mexico later this month to finalize partnerships and facilitate the delivery of both funds and in-kind materials to community-based organizations supporting social services, education and health.

 

 

September 20, 2017–The death toll from yesterday’s earthquake–the second to shake Mexico in less than two weeks–has climbed to 225. As rescue workers continue to search through rubble, that number is expected to climb. Sadly, among the dead are more than 20 students whose school collapsed in the quake–though more than 50 survivors have been pulled from the wreckage so far, fueling hope that additional survivors remain in need of rescue.

 

Mexico City and the surrounding area suffered extensive damage from the magnitude 7.1 earthquake. Early reports say nearly 50 structures collapsed in the city, and many additional structures have been deemed unsafe though they are still standing. At this time, relief supplies including face masks, clean drinking water, blankets and bedding, shelter materials and power equipment are of urgent need in the impacted area. Any corporate donor wishing to provide these items can contact OpUSA at info@opusa.org.

 

Monetary donations are also desperately needed at this time, as this earthquake is the second to strike Mexico, and comes on the heels of three major storms in the United States. To support OpUSA’s relief and recovery efforts, visit give.opusa.org now.

 

This situation is still developing. Click here for the latest updates.

 

 

September 19, 2017–A second major earthquake, registered as a magnitude 7.1 tremor, hit Mexico today, less than two weeks after a magnitude 8.1 tremor shook the country on September 7th. Today’s quake struck central Mexico, approximately 75 miles outside Mexico City, with a depth of about 33 miles. Some images and videos of collapsing buildings and extensive structural damage have already emerged, with many news crews already on the ground in Mexico covering the earlier quake. The full extent of damage is not yet know.

 

This is a developing story. For the latest updates, click here.

 

The latest reports from Mexico on the earlier earthquake estimate that upwards of 300,000 people were impacted. More than 31,000 homes in 41 municipalities suffered damage or total destruction. The death toll has risen to 61. The Mexican government has committed to providing federal aid to impacted families for rebuilding, but noted that the private sector as well as foreign aid groups will also play a role in helping impacted communities rebuild and recover.

 

Operation USA remains committed to long-time partners in Mexico in the wake of these devastating earthquake. We continue to call on supporters and partners to provide donations that will assist in making grants and delivering material aid to the hardest hit areas. To support recovery efforts, visit give.opusa.org.

 

 

September 11, 2017– The death toll in Mexico continues to rise, reaching 95 confirmed deaths as of Monday morning. That number is expected to increase as search and rescue efforts continue.

 

An estimated 50 million people felt the powerful magnitude 8.1 tremor when it hit on September 8th, and aftershocks registering up to magnitude 5.0 continued to shake the country through the following day. Many people have fled their homes and damage throughout the impacted states is extensive. Early reports coming from the area indicate a need for material aid, especially clean drinking water and wound care and medical supplies. Relief shipments will be complicated by damage to infrastructure and roads in the hardest hit areas.

 

Operation USA is continuing to assess damage and needs and communicate with partners on the ground in Mexico. We are calling on corporate partners for donations of much-needed material aid items, including: shelter materials, bedding, flashlights, power generators, water purification supplies, antibiotics and chronic illness medications, disposable medical supplies, clean up materials, and other items that are of use in post-disaster environments. To contribute to our in-kind relief efforts, email info@opusa.org.

 

Monetary donations are also of urgent need at this time. To support relief efforts, visit give.opusa.org.

 

 

September 8, 2017–Late Thursday night, a massive magnitude 8.1 earthquake–the strongest to shake the country in 100 years–struck Mexico off the country’s southern coast. The quake’s epicenter was 600 miles southeast of Mexico City in the Pacific Ocean, and the shaking was felt as far away as Guatemala City. As of Friday morning, reports coming from the country say damage is extensive and 32 people have been killed.

 

The areas hardest hit by the earthquake are the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, home to approximately 9 million people who were already facing vulnerable conditions before the tremor. Recovery will be a challenging process for all those impacted.

 

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has released a statement saying: “High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread. Past red alerts have required a national or international response.”

 

Operation USA has ties to Mexico, having worked there in the wake of previous disasters, including the major 1985 earthquake and most recently following major flooding in 2013. We have committed to response and long-term recovery in the wake of this latest disaster, and will provide material and financial aid as opportunities allow. To help, visit give.opusa.org now.

 

This is a developing situation. For the latest updates, click here.