A British couple, two South Koreans and a Mexican plumber died as Hurricane Odile swept through the state of Baja California on September 14 and 15.
Reports said the bodies of Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood were discovered near La Paz. Both had been aboard their boat, the “Tabasco,” when the hurricane struck and had apparently been unaware that a storm of such force was approaching.
State police say 23 people were detained in the aftermath of the storm for various offenses, mainly looting. More than 2,300 stolen articles have been recovered, including televisions, stereos, washing machines and large amounts of alcoholic beverages,
The federal government has designated five municipalities in Baja California – Comondú, La Paz, Loreto, Los Cabos and Mulegé – as “disaster zones” and therefore eligible for emergency funding.
Approximately 55 percent of electricity had been restored in Baja California by last weekend. Only 15 percent of homes in the northern part of the state were still without power.
Life in the tourist resort of Los Cabos, one of the worst affected areas, was slowly returning to a semblance of normality this weekend, with supermarkets and other stores reopening for business, despite many having taken a pummeling in the storm.