EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PLANNING

UNCLAS TIJUANA 000908

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR DS, CA, DS/IP/WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/MEX, CA/OCS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC AEMR CASC AMGT MX PINS
SUBJECT: EAC AMCONSULATE TIJUANA - HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS PLANNING


1. (SBU) On August 31, 2009, Post's Emergency Action
Committee (EAC) met to discuss potential impact on Baja
California, Mexico, of Hurricane Jimena and to discuss post's
response to potential storm damage. EAC participants included
CG, CON, CON/ASC, MGT, DEA, DHS-ICE, RSO, and PAO.


2. (U) The CG opened the meeting by briefing the EAC on the
conference call he received earlier from the U.S. Embassy Mexico
City. Consular Section Chief briefed the EAC on U.S. Citizen
resident presence in Baja California Sur and staff and resource
availability of the U.S. Consular Agency in Cabo San Lucas.
Cabo San Lucas has more concentrated U.S. Citizen full-time
residents than other areas of Baja California Sur. However,
tourism and temporary U.S. Citizen presence is estimated as low,
with tourist hotels low in occupancy.


3. (U) A general discussion was held regarding the current
location of the hurricane and the projected path, strength, and
potential damage by wind, rain, or flooding to infrastructure
such as airports and roads. The hurricane is heading up the
Pacific coast of Mexico, from the state of Jalisco toward the
state of Baja California, maintaining its strong intensity of
135 knots. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasts Hurricane
Jimena will continue its north-northwest motion. Baja
California may experience adverse conditions on Tuesday,
September 1, with landfall Tuesday during the day or night in
southern Baja above Cabo San Lucas, in a less populated area
along the Pacific side of Baja. After landfall it may travel
across land toward La Paz on the Sea of Cortez side of Baja,
which has low lying areas and roads prone to wash out, flash
flooding, mud slides.


3. (U) The EAC consensus was that neither the consular agency
employees nor the general populace were panicky, but were
cautious. After discussing post emergency plans and past
hurricane response, the EAC decided to take the following
actions:

- The Consular Agency in Cabo San Lucas will remain open
for emergency services.

- Supplementing consular staffing in Cabo with an
additional American Citizen Services FSO and LES, along with
hurricane supply kit and communication equipment was
recommended. Post arranged to implement these plans immediately,
with FSO and LES travelling this same day.

- Sending a TDY team with hurricane supply kit to La Paz
was recommended by the EAC, as travel to that region may be
difficult post-hurricane. An LES staff member from Consular
Agency Cabo San Lucas was directed to travel overland to this
location, to be joined by an FSO from U.S. Consulate General
Tijuana/ACS today.

- If warranted, another TDY team will stand by for travel
overland from Post to Santa Rosalia, consisting of one FSO and
two LES, for post-hurricane response.

- Post will monitor for any indication that the airports
at Cabo San Lucas or La Paz may be closed. The seaports along
the Sea of Cortez were scheduled to close at mid-day.

- Post will not approve non-essential TDY travel. Travel
related to the hurricane will be considered essential and will
receive clearance.

- Post will distribute State issued travel warnings and
warden messages to keep local Americans informed.


4. (U) Post will continue to monitor the situation and
convene the EAC as necessary.


5. (U) Tijuana's EAC will continue to monitor the situation
in Baja California. All members will remain in close contact
with their local U.S. and Mexican contacts regarding any new
developments.
For comments or questions, please contact RSO at
011-52-664-622-7464, or -7451.

KASHKETT