The 5th hurricane of 2012 has finally arrived!

The 5th hurricane of 2012 has finally arrived!

Ernesto

A tropical storm has arisen for 2 days in the Atlantic Ocean. Right now, the tropical storm just passed the Caribbean islands.  Its current ground speed is 30 mph and the wind speed is 52 mph. It will pass below the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. 

In two days, on Sunday the 5^th of August, the tropical storm will turn into a hurricane category 1. In Five days, still according to the forecasts, the hurricane, which we can call Ernesto from Sunday, will end up its path in Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula.  

Path of Ernesto

We are still expecting this last part to be confirmed. In any case, get prepared!

Any question, any fear, any question, do not hesitate to ask us.

Anti-hurricane Protection and Real Estate in Playa Del Carmen

Hurricane Carlotta hit the State of Oaxaca!

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Carlota hit the famous village of Puerto Escondido in the Southern state of Oaxaca.

The Region of Oaxaca is usually not a region prone to the hurricanes.  Obviously, as every area located on the seaside, it suffers time to time from impressive storms. Two weeks ago, the hurricane Carlotta hit Puerto Escondido. Hopefully, the authorities warned the inhabitants before the hit of the hurricane, but the arrival and the strength of the hurricane remained a surprise. 

Hurricane Carlotta

As you may know, hurricanes are classified in 5 categories. The 1^st one is the less dangerous, if we may say, and the 5^th one is the most dramatic one.  Before the 1^st category, these natural disasters are considered as tropical storms and not as hurricanes.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Carlotta belonged to the category 2! Winds were up to 165 km/h (105 MPH), hard rains lasted days. Trees, palm shelters totally destroyed, and houses damaged.

The damages are consequent as people were not totally prepared to face the category 2 hurricane. Indeed, to protect oneself from a hurricane, the best is to stay inside your house. But, of course, the house needs to be protected! If a projectile hits the window, the glass will obviously shatter and your house will be rack by the wind, rain, and other projectiles. At that moment, you are not protected anymore.

An efficient protection is consequently needed in order to avoid theses dangers! The best solution to transform your house (business or building you wish to protect) into a bunker is to install anti-hurricane shutters on every opening of your property.

Yet, you have to be aware and alert about the quality of the product you buy. Products usually are made in polypropylene and are not resistant enough to resist a hurricane category 2.

It is essential to check out the quality of the shutter and to wonder:

1. What category of hurricane can be faced with the product?
2. Which threat can the shutter resist to (a hurricane presents 4 main threats: wind, rain, projectiles and the change of the barometric pressure)?
3. Can the shutter face these dangers simultaneously or only one by one?

Do not hesitate to ask many questions to fully understand the product, how it works so that you can feel totally secure about your investment.

Investing in an anti-hurricane shutter is a huge investment, but it appears very cheap when you know that it will protect your house, your goods, your way of life, your souvenirs and all the efforts you did to own your property.  For instance, if you want to protect your house, it will avoid you to sleep in a hotel or in a gym for days and go through all the insurance administration process in order to be reimbursed for the insured goods.

A protected business will not need to close for weeks or months to be cleaned, fixed and bought the furniture again. In fact, closing a business in a touristic area cost thousands of dollars. Thanks to the anti-hurricane shutters, a business can stay open despite of the hurricane passage.

Do not hesitate to keep yourself informed about this protection, do not hesitate to inform your friends and contacts, especially if they live in a tropical area.  And finally, feel free to ask any question to be sure that your investment will be the best as possible!

American Development and Astroguard Mexico , together to protect our goods!

1st of June: Official Start for the Hurricane Season

2005-Wilma Over Cozumel island

Here it is!!! The month of June has arrived!! And with it, the hurricane season!

Every year the hurricane season starts on the 1^st of June until the end of October! (This year was an exception as the hurricane season was brought forward on the 13^th of May 2012- cf: hurricane season brought forward! ). What does it mean? It simply means that tropical storms and hurricanes may appear!!

For this season, 9 to 12 hurricanes have been forecast in the Caribbean region. And each of them has a little name, isn’t that cool??!! Here are some of them: the first one coming this year is called Chris, the second one Debby, and the following ones are Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk…

Since 2000, the hurricanes starting with “I” have been particularly strong and destructive for the Caribbean Islands. For Mexico, the letter “W” has been a bad omen. I let you remember Wilma in 2005… The biggest, largest and longest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic!

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Wilma was the 22^nd storm, the 12^th hurricane and the 6^th major hurricane and the 3^rd Category 5 hurricane of the year 2005! Its width was almost covering the whole Caribbean Sea! Plus, a hurricane usually stays a few hours in a same place before moving forward. Wilma stayed THREE ENTIRE DAYS in Cozumel’s island (located in front of Playa Del Carmen)!!! Can you imagine?? THREE ENTIRE DAYS!!!! Time should have been long during this hurricane!

Even if 2012 should be calmer than 2005 according to the scientific forecasts, stay alert and be prepared!

American-development is here to advice you!

The hurricane season brought forward by the authorities

The hurricane season is brought forward!

The Hurricane National Center of the United States declared this last Monday (on the 13^th of May 2012) that the hurricane season has already started.

In general, the season starts on the 1st of June. Yet, a first tropical depression formed in the Pacific Ocean at more than 1000 km away from the coast - hopefully. In the following days, this depression might turn itself in a tropical storm. This phenomenon is rather early in the year that is why the authorities brought forward the season.

It is important that everyone is alert about it. Down here in Mexico, the Riviera Maya has experienced a deserved rest after the trauma of Wilma. A 6 year lull. We must not keep our eyes closes and think that the slack time will go on forever. We live in a tropical region. The risk is present, authorities are aware of it, so are we.

 According to Admiral Sergio Javier Lara Montellano, commandant of the 8th Naval District of the Mexican Army, 2011 saw 19 tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean. Very few of them have reached the coasts. Such a high number has not been recorded since 1851, according to the National Service of Meteorology.

Don’t be scared, be only WELL PREPARED!

American-development.com and Astroguard

The global warming increases the risk of Hurricanes in the Caribbean

Hurricane Ivan

Undeniably for years the global warming in the earth has started. In many regions of the world, you can observe changes. In some places the climate temperatures increase in the extreme and in some other regions, the seasons no longer exist.

In Arctic, the climate is warmer, consequently,the water cannot freeze anymore. The existing ices melt and the sea and ocean level rise up every year of 1 to 2 centimeters.

Deserts become dryer, the water disappears. In the Caribbean, the climate gets warmer. As the temperature of the air, and the water doesn’t cool down, the barometric pressure of the Caribbean is lower, which favors the creation of the hurricane. Indeed, the hurricane draws its strength in the warmth of the atmosphere.  The outcome of not having a TROPICAL region cooled down may end up in a hurricane.  As the air here doesn’t cool down because the global warming heats up the region, the risk of hurricanes is higher every year. 

This year, next year, in two years, a hurricane can form and hit the Riviera Maya terribly. Our chance regarding this natural catastrophe is this following: It is the only natural catastrophe you can protect yourself from. 

Mexican Beach during a hurricane

As the buildings down here in the Riviera Maya are all made in concrete reinforced by steel, they will stay up and will provide you security for you, your family and for the objects inside your home. The weaken points are doors and windows that need to be protected and reinforced! Forget the wood! Why? Simply because the wood is not resistant enough to face the strength of a raged hurricane! By using wood, one this later will be blown off by the hurricane, the wood fragment will become another threat as they will turn into projectiles! Another danger you will have to protect yourself from.

AstroGuard Product- 100% secure

Do not lie to yourself and let make it simple and clear. There is no way to protect yourself or your house if you don’t use the adequate product. So far, the best product known on the market is a American product called Astro Guard. It is used in the United States in the hurricanes regions as Louisiana or Florida.  The product was tested with the best and strongest machines. None of them has been able to tear the product into pieces or even to break it. The product is made of balistic nylon. The product has a double layer. So far, it has been and is the best product of the market. In contrary to its competitor products, it fulfills all the requirements to face the hurricane level 5! (5 levels exist to determine the strength and the dangerousness of a hurricane- the 5th level is the strongest one).

The other products are competent for the 1st or 2nd level. Regarding the other levels of dangerousness, only Astro Guard is really competent and effective.

Never think that a hurricane level 5 will never happen. Remember Katrina, remember Wilma, remember the typhoons (hurricane’s name in Asia) in Indonesia. It happens and it will happen more and more often, especially in the Mexican Caribbean and Riviera Maya, as the global warming is on and the region is tropical.

Are you also ready to run?

It is better to protect oneself, you, your family, your house and business, once for all, than to install a product which will blow up or deteriorate after the first hurricane.

Do you have a family to protect? A hotel to keep up? A business to save? A wonderful recently built house? Don’t let the hurricane destroy of your life and happiness.

For more information, DO NOT HESITATE to CONTACT Astro Guard company by email: astroguard.playa@gmail.com or via the website: http://www.hfmexico.com/contact.html.

The company is located on the 10th Street (Calle 10) between the 14th bis and the 16th avenues (entre av.14 Norte bis y 16).

Don’t wait on the announcement of the hurricanes arrival to be prepared. Your life is priceless, as your family is as well. 

No more danger with Hurricanes in the Caribbean!

The Caribbean is famous for hurricanes! We saw Katrina and Wilma both in 2005. They destroyed everything on their way. We all have bad souvenirs from them.  

The good news about Hurricanes is that this natural catastrophe and the only one way we can get prepared to face it before it happens! How? You may ask. Simply by blocking all the windows and doors! Only one company is providing the right equipment to protect you: www.hfmexico.com .

The product is a king of big curtain that we install and secure outside the house on the windows and doors openings. This protection is made by Kevlar, the best and most resistant material ever! To give you an example; the bullet-proof vests of the police are made also of Kevlar. Bullets are stopped and save the policeman’s lives. Yes, but a hurricane is stronger than a bullet are you going to say. Sure, you are right! But the anti-hurricane product has many Kevlar layers, and so far, no machine has succeeded in breaking through the material, not even making a single hole, NADA!

Check out the site, it is very instructive about what you have to do and what you MUST NOT DO during a hurricane! (For example, blocking the openings with wood is a huge error because the hurricane will wisp these pieces and will create consequently thousands of projectiles into the air. Another danger!!

BE confident that with this kind of protection, you and your family are going to be completely safe!

www.american-development.com

www.hfmexico.com

Hurricane Rina Update

What started as Hurricane Rina, was downgraded to Tropical Storm Rina. It weakened significantly as it churned its way on to landfall.


At 5 p.m. EDT, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm had degenerated to a remnant over the Yucatan Channel, 75 miles west of the western tip of Cuba and 110 miles north-northeast of Cozumel- Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. Maximum sustained winds had decreased to 30 mph, and Rina was moving east-northeast at 5 mph. The storm was expected to turn toward the southeast Saturday and then turn toward the south Sunday, with continued weakening during the weekend.

No coastal watches or warnings were in effect Friday night. Rina was expected to bring 3 to 6 inches of rain through Friday, with up to 10 inches in isolated areas, U.S. forecasters said. Juan Gabriel Granados, operations director for state civil protection, said about 50,000 people had been evacuated from Quintana Roo state, which includes the resort towns of Cancun and Cozumel, CNN reported

The U.S. network said boating has been banned in the area and several shelters have opened. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said a storm surge would raise water levels 1 to 2 feet above normal tides "accompanied by large and dangerous waves." For further questions about ´how to protect yourself and your property during a hurricane´ contact our offices at www.hfmexico.com


www.american-development.com

Shelter information for Hurricane Rina

The Civil Protection Department announced that the entire state of Quintana Roo has over 1000 shelters that are capable of holding  193,000 people in the event of Hurricane Rina according to a bulletin of Social Communication

Of the shelters- 312 are urban, 705 rural, 113 are for tourist with a capacity for 193,000 people, in the town Felipe Carrillo 260; Tulum, 57, Solidarity, 81, Othon P. White, 188; Lazaro Cardenas, 72, Jose Maria Morelos, 118, Isla Mujeres, 18; Cozumel, 12, Benito Juarez, 229, and Bacalar, 95, said the state director of Civil Protection, Luis Carlos Rodriguez Hoy.

Where "Rina" makes landfall on the coastal regions of Quintana Roo the state is ready with more than 1000 shelters distributed in 10 municipalities. The Mexican Army has its mobile kitchens ready and the implementation of Plan DN-III-E (Plan the military's relief to the civilian population in case of disaster) and Marina Plan. For more information on the best ways to protect your property in the event of a hurricane visit www.hfmexico.com 

www.american-development.com 

Storm Report: Tropical Storm Rina is approaching the Riviera

According to several sources Tropical Storm Rina, the 17th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, may strengthen and pass north of Honduras before approaching Mexican resorts on the Yucatan Peninsula, the National Hurricane Center said.

Rina, about 135 miles (215 kilometers) north-northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios on the Honduras-Nicaragua border, was moving north-northwest at 6 miles per hour, the center said in a website advisory at 8 a.m. Miami time. The system had sustained winds of 40 mph and is forecast to grow into a hurricane, with winds of at least 74 mph, later this week.

Flash floods and mudslides may occur over mountainous terrain in the region, the NHC said. Rina could trigger as much as 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain in northern Honduras and 3 inches in the Cayman Islands before nearing the Yucatan.

A tropical-storm watch, indicating winds of at least 39 mph are possible within two days, is in place for the coast of Honduras from Punta Castilla to the Nicaraguan border. The center predicted the storm will be near the coastal resorts of Cozumel and Cancun in three to four days.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. For more information on ways you can prepare to protect against hurricanes, feel free to visit www.hfmexico.com. 

 

www.american-development.com 

Hurricane Insurance

As Hurricane Irene recently hit the East Coast of the USA, many residents are reaching for their home owners insurance documents to better understand how well they're protected against damages. Understanding the basics of how you're protected can provide some peace of mind now and inform decisions when you seek insurance quotes in the future. When specifically dealing in the Mexican Caribe area American Development supplies the latest updates regarding trends in policy conditions for commercial and residential applicants.  

So first, the good news: wind damage often is covered under the standard homeowner policy. So if shingles are torn off, trees knocked down or windows shattered, the resulting damage to structures included in the policy likely will be covered. And unless you live in a high-risk area with special hurricane deductibles - based on a percentage of the home's replacement cost - the standard dollar deductibles should apply.

However, it's important to note that a standard home insurance policy may not cover wind or wind-blown water damage if you live near the coast. In such circumstances, you may be required to purchase a separate windstorm policy. Now the bad news: flood damage is not covered by standard homeowners insurance. This often comes as an unpleasant surprise to homeowners."This is the biggest misperception that homeowners have," says Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute (III).

After Hurricane Andrew, a rare Category 5 that struck southern Florida in 1992, insurers won permission to create separate, higher hurricane deductibles in high-risk coastal states, such as the Carolinas. These deductibles are based on a percentage of the home's insured value and can be as high as 10 percent (or, with special permission, even higher), although they are often lower. A homeowner with a 2 percent hurricane deductible on a home insured for $300,000, for example, will be responsible for the first $6,000 of repairs.

Separate windstorm insurance deductibles may also exist. The dollar amount of the hurricane deductible is pre-calculated and is spelled out on the declarations page of your policy. Insurers typically have different standards for hurricanes and tropical stores- “Deductibles vary from company to company and state to state, so everyone needs to read their policy or speak to an agent or company representative to find out exactly what the hurricane deductible is and when it applies,¨ says one industry executive. However, when specifically dealing in the Mexican Caribe area American Development supplies the latest updates regarding policy conditions for commercial and residential applicants. 

www.american-development.com 

Why the Riviera is growing...

So how are things really doing here in the Riviera lately? According to the Quintana Roo State information, Tourism is bringing in more than 90% of the GDP of the entity. This explains why the current government is focusing its energy and resources into policies aimed at reinforcing and expanding the infrastructure and services related to this profitable market, (as mentioned in our last blog entry) Thus, 63 centers offer training programs for tourism workers and the state reports one of the highest employment rates in the country.




Throughout the Mayan Riviera, tourism is among the main economic activities of the State, concentrating on and around the beaches of Playa Del Carmen one of the most popular tourism centers in the world and the coastal Mayan Riviera, spanning from Puerto Morelos, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum, and Cozumel, which have numerous famous coral reefs for scuba diving. Six kilometers to the south of Playa del Carmen is Xcaret, a Mayan archeological site and ecological theme park where many water sports can be practiced and visitors greatly enjoy getting to know the region’s culture, flora and fauna.

Another duty and priority of the local government is related to protection against menacing and frequent hurricanes, since the Yucatan Peninsula, especially along its coasts, is usually battered by these kinds of meteorological phenomena which have caused great destruction throughout the last century. And this is another area where American Development brought an answer to the table. As the Riviera expands and moves forward with its appeal to global audiences it is increasingly important to cover all your bases.

http://www.american-development.com/

Hurricane Paula Glances Mexico, Eyes Cuba

Source: CBS News

Hurricane Paula roared off Mexico's top vacation resort of Cancun on Wednesday without immediate reports of major damage, and it was projected to veer into western Cuba's cigar-producing country.

The Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, swiped at the island of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres overnight on a northward advance and was about 60 miles southeast of Cancun early Wednesday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Paula was expected to shift to the northeast and weaken slightly on a course that would carry it into western Cuba by Wednesday night or early Thursday.

CBS News' Portia Siegelbaum reports that, as of Wednesday morning, no evactuations had been ordered in western Cuba. The top Communist Party official in the region was meeting with other authorities to discuss how to proceed. Siegelbaum reports that Cuba generally errs on the side of caution, evacuating all residents and livestock in the path of potentially damaging floods.

There were no immediate reports of major problems in Cancun or other resort areas. Quintana Roo state officials said they could guarantee the security of all 27,000 tourists currently in the state during the October off-season.

They ordered the evacuation of 1,500 residents of Isla Holbox and 60 fishermen from Isla Contoy. The evacuees were taken to the town of Kantunilkin on the mainland.

More than 1,800 tourists remained on Cozumel after authorities suspended all sea transportation. City officials said three shelters were available on the island but that only a family of six had arrived at one of them late Tuesday.

Quintana Roo state prosecutors said in a statement that a U.S. man drowned when he went swimming in heavy surf near his hotel. Mickey Goodwin, a 54-year-old Texas resident, ignored warnings and red flags alerting the dangerous waters, the statement said.

In Cancun, 15 flights were canceled Tuesday and seven international flights for Wednesday would be canceled, Cancun airport commander Jose Chavez said.

Dozens of boat owners in Cancun hauled yachts and other vessels to shore, while sea tour operators canceled reservations.

Armando Galmiche closed down his water-skiing tour business in Cancun and canceled 15 reservations he had for Tuesday afternoon.

"It's already low season for tourism and, with this hurricane, things are going to get worse," he said, lamenting the loss of revenue.

Along Cancun's popular strip of night clubs and discotheques, workers took down billboards and other large objects ahead of heavy winds.

Peter Bruin, a 25-year-old tourist from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, was taking a stroll along the city's hotel zone, unaware that a hurricane was heading to Cancun.

"I hadn't heard anything but I'm not afraid," Bruin said. "It will be my first hurricane experience."

Early Tuesday, heavy rains and high winds destroyed 19 homes in northeastern Honduras, said Lisandro Rosales, head of Honduras' emergency agency. Officials closed schools along the country's Atlantic coast and some airports were reported closed.

Early Wednesday, the hurricane was centered about 60 miles east-northeast of Cozumel, and about 100 miles southwest of the western tip of Cuba.

Paula earlier drenched Honduras, northern Belize, eastern portions of the Yucatan Peninsula and was expected to bring heavy rains to western and central Cuba.

Forecasters warned of possible flooding and landslides and suggested residents avoid fishing trips or water sports.