“BOOM!” Imagine the ground collapsing beneath your feet. That is the story of Derrumbe Lomas de Monterrey. It is a tale of devastation and resilience. This place serves as a stark reminder of nature’s power. It also highlights the vulnerabilities of urban development.
Derrumbe Lomas de Monterrey is located in Tijuana. Here, hillside neighborhoods cling precariously. The area became a symbol of disaster when a landslide struck. It left a scar on the landscape and in the hearts of its residents.
In Lomas del Rubí, houses were lost. The landslide destroyed about 100 homes. This displaced over 400 people. The ground gave way. Homes were ripped from their foundations. They turned into piles of rubble. Personal belongings lay scattered.
One resident, Mario Hernández, lost everything. He spent 25 years in his home. He rebuilt it twice after fires. Then, the landslide took it all away. He said the construction company sliced the hill. They used dynamite, which loosened the soil. According to the secretary of urban development, Alejandro Lomelín, dynamite was not the cause of the landslide, since there were no permits given for the use of explosives.
Another resident, Alejandrina Verdugo, had lived there for 35 years. She raised her family in that neighborhood. Now, it was gone. She recounted hearing dynamite explosions before dawn. People were robbed of what little they had left.
The residents of Lomas del Rubí organized protests. They demanded solutions from the government and Grupo Melo. Grupo Melo denied responsibility. They claimed they had all the permits.
The director of civil protection, Antonio Rosquillas, declared Grupo Melo responsible. He stated that removing the base caused the collapse. The case remains pending in court.
The disaster exposed the dangers of building on unstable soil. Tijuana’s hillsides are particularly vulnerable. Rain, earthquakes, and leaking utility lines can cause landslides. A study in 2014 warned about the risks. It found that over 30 percent of the city’s population lived in areas prone to landslides. The study also noted that regulations for construction on slopes were inadequate.
The story of Derrumbe Lomas de Monterrey is a cautionary one. It underscores the need for careful planning and regulation in hillside development. It is a reminder of the importance of community. It demonstrates the resilience of people.