Residents of Mexico City suburb are anxious after living over a month in black sewage water

CHALCO, Mexico (AP) — As 56-year-old Juana Salazar Segundo walked through her home in Chalco, a low-income suburb southeast of Mexico City, she recalled how black, reeking water had reached up to her belly button after flooding early last month.

With the receding liquid now down to her ankles, Salazar waddled into her furniture-less bedroom, where only a water pump hummed in the corner. Large black blotches stained the once white walls.

Sewage-infused floodwaters have invaded streets, homes and businesses in Salazar’s Culturas neighborhood of Chalco for over a month.

The low-lying area at the edge of what was once an ancient lake has long been plagued by seasonal flooding, but residents say this year has been worse, a combination of unchecked growth and failing infrastructure.

According to Chalco’s government, more than 2,000 homes and over 7,000 residents have been affected. The water was as deep as 5 feet (160 centimeters) in some areas.

Over the past several weeks, Salazar has used four pumps running around the clock to clear water from her home. Her hands and legs are stained with black and gray streaks from coming into contact with the tainted floodwaters.

“Day and night we couldn’t sleep, the water just rose and rose,” she said.

“I’ve been saying for years that the drain systems have collapsed,” said Salazar. “I haven’t been able to work because I have to take care of my things, my daughter hasn’t been able to take her son to school … we’re just surviving.”

Omar Arellano-Aguilar, a biologist and expert in environmental toxicology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said the combination of drainage failures and the geological structure of the area makes it more vulnerable to floods.

“All of these urban areas have grown haphazardly over the last 50 years,” he said.

A city of more than 400,000, since the late 1980s Chalco has grown to become one of the largest cities in the State of Mexico, but it still lacks basic water and power infrastructure.

Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has downplayed the crisis in Chalco and said he wouldn't pay the disaster zone a visit.

“It's being taken care of,” he said during one of his daily press briefings last month. “It's the same reason I didn't go to Acapulco,” referring to the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Otis that killed at least 48 people. “It's like vulture season,” he said regarding the press asking him about it.

State Gov. Delfina Gómez has visited the neighborhood a handful of times. The governor and Chalco’s government did not respond to requests for interviews from The Associated Press.

Local, state and federal officials have been working in the area, using massive pumps to lower the water, vaccinating residents and providing potable water.

Outside of Salazar's home, the sun pounded on the neighborhood as the acidic stench of the sewage water and silt stretched for miles.

A block away, Oscar Martínez Hinojosa, 49, adjusted the hose for one of his water pumps.

Martínez said that when the flooding started they weren’t given any boots or protective clothing by the government. “They didn’t give us anything, no food, not a single pair of overalls ... and we asked for them," he said.

Martínez lives with his five family members crowded into a top floor room where there is no damage. Downstairs, the courtyard and other bedrooms are swamped with ankle-deep water.

Another resident, Guadalupe Sarai Islas García, 32, said health problems have abounded from the sewage water. Her baby was throwing up and experiencing diarrhea for over a week when the flooding persisted.

“None of the politicians know what it’s like to live like this,” she said. “They get to go home, have a shower, dine in peace and sleep without a care in the world.”

Since her home flooded weeks ago, she sent her kids to stay with her mother so they wouldn’t be exposed to any more filth. Other residents have taken similar precautions and even started renting rooms in neighboring Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl.

However, the dozens of trucks from the state and local governments lined up on Chalco's main street pumping tons of water from the neighborhood have helped reduce the water.

Residents who have managed to lower their water levels are now removing debris and silt from their homes.

As of last weekend, authorities reported there were no flooded streets remaining and that they had removed 245 tons of silt. They have also extracted more than 264 million gallons (1 million cubic meters) of water. They also began cleaning and disinfecting 28 streets affected by the flooding.

At a primary school located off the main intersection, Principal Maria Luisa Molina Avila said she felt positive about the latest renovations they had done to the grounds after flood damage to the school. The flooding delayed the start of the school year by two weeks for thousands of students.

“This has been like a rollercoaster, however fortunately many of the streets are now dry,” she said. Along with her daughter and son they drained, swept and cleaned the school to prepare for students' arrival.

“It's a relief for the kids they get to go back to school,” said resident García. “Now that our stress has been at an all time high.”

Back across town, Salazar made her way to a street corner accompanied by her dog “Oso” or “bear” to attend a neighborhood meeting. She gathered with others waiting for further updates about the construction of a drainage pipe that was set to start that morning.

As the afternoon rain started to sprinkle, a crowd of residents grew frustrated at the officials leading the construction. “Where’s the solution to this?” one person said. “We want you to start working! Look it’s already raining,” another yelled.

Standing patiently at the edge of the crowd with “Oso,” Salazar took in the scene silently. Like many of her neighbors, she’s patient for a solution.

But Arellano-Aguilar doubted retroactive fixes would work in the ever-sinking terrain. “For all the pipes they add, nothing is going to change," he said. "On the contrary, all the infrastructure that's put in now will suffer the effects of subsidence.”

Besides investing in more capable drainage systems, Arellano-Aguilar said stakeholders need to think about areas in the basin where they can redirect rainwater.

“We need to start learning how to live alongside the water and accept that there are areas that have to be flooded,” he said.

Hoses pump away sewage-infused floodwaters in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, lat Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Claudia Alvarado points to damage from sewage-infused floodwaters at her home in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Workers pump out sewage-infused floodwaters in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Lime covers a street to combat odor and humidity after sewage-infused flooding in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

A teddy bear hangs to avoid getting wet inside the home of Guadalupe Islas, reflected in the mirror, as her cat Skipper looks on after sewage-infused flooding damaged her home in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. The teddy is her daughter's 15th birthday gift. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Sewage-infused floodwaters cover a street in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Haitian migrant Henry Chelcy, front, works to pump away sewage-infused flood water in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Sewage-infused floodwaters cover Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Oscar Martínez Hinojosa supervises a hose pumping sewage-infused floodwaters out of his home in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

A nurse vaccinates a resident for tetanus and pneumococcus as a preventative measure during sewage-infused flooding in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Rosa Daniel looks stands inside her house flooded by sewage-infused water in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Mario Mata sits outside his home where the street is covered with lime to combat odor and humidity caused by sewage-infused flooding in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Sewage-infused floodwaters are pumped out of homes in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, August 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

A family approaches medical workers in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, who are providing emergency attention during sewage-infused flooding in the area, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Soldiers clean the streets after applying lime to combat the smell and humidity after sewage-infused flooding in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Monday, 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Sewage-infused flooding affects Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

An altar stands in the home of Juana Salazar Segundo that was damaged by sewage-infused flooding in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Rosa Daniel, left, helps her neighbor Juana Salazar Segundo move a hose to remove sewage-infused floodwaters from her home in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

Juana Salazar Segundo walks through sewage-infused floodwaters in Valle de Chalco, State of Mexico, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)

CHICAGO (AP) — Shea Langeliers homered twice, including a towering solo drive that cleared the Wrigley Field bleachers in left, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Tuesday night.

Langeliers’ third multihomer game of the season and No. 5 for his career upped his season total to 28, extending his career best.

“The homers kind of come in bunches,” said Langeliers, who finished with three RBIs. “It's not just a linear thing. You go through those stretches where you see the ball really well, you're on everything and sometimes it seems like you don't even see the ball.”

Lawrence Butler also went deep for Oakland, which stopped a three-game losing streak. The skid included back-to-back losses to the MLB-worst White Sox.

Ian Happ hit two solo homers for the Cubs (77-74), who fell six games behind the New York Mets for the final NL wild card with 11 games left.

Happ's 25th homer, a one-out drive to left on a 103.2 mph fastball from All-Star closer Mason Miller, got Chicago within one in the ninth. But Miller retired Dansby Swanson on a grounder to first before striking out Seiya Suzuki for his 26th save.

“It almost kind of forces you to rise to the occasion,” Miller said. “You obviously want to quiet an away crowd, but the ninth inning usually is the most exciting part of the game."

The Cubs said the switch-hitting Happ's shot in the ninth was the fastest pitch hit for a home run in the Statcast era, since 2015.

“I was trying to go up and missed down,” Miller said. “So I could kind of look at it that way, that I missed my spot, but going opposite field, you tip your hat.”

Happ said he was just trying to make contact and not swing late.

“You’re trying so hard to be on time for that fastball it makes the other stuff play up," Happ said. "That’s the difference. He’s throwing an 88-mile-an-hour slider, and that’s a 15-mile-an-hour difference. That’s crazy.”

Nico Hoerner hit three singles for Chicago, and Michael Busch drove in a run. Jordan Wicks (2-4) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings.

Oakland rookie Mitch Spence (8-9) pitched five effective innings for his first win since July 27. He permitted two runs and seven hits.

With Brent Rooker aboard after a one-out single in the first, Langeliers drove a 1-0 fastball deep to left-center. Butler gave Oakland a 3-0 lead when he hit his 22nd homer into the basket in the third.

The Cubs responded with two runs in the bottom half on Happ's drive to right and Busch’s bloop RBI single.

Langeliers’ second homer of the night sailed 418 feet, reaching Waveland Avenue in the fifth.

MAKING MOVES

The Cubs recalled right-hander Daniel Palencia from Triple-A Iowa and optioned righty Trey Wingenter to their top farm club. Palencia pitched two scoreless innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Butler was back in the leadoff spot and right field after a maintenance day on Monday.

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele will rejoin the rotation on Wednesday against Oakland. Steele, Chicago’s opening-day starter, has been on the 15-day injured list since Sept. 1 with left elbow tendinitis.

UP NEXT

Oakland LHP Brady Basso (1-0, 1.23 ERA) faces Steele (5-5, 3.09 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon. Basso earned his first major league win against the White Sox on Friday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ, right, slaps hands with third base coach Willie Harris as he runs the bases on a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs' Miles Mastrobuoni, left, is forced out at second by Oakland Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson who throws to first in an attempted double play during the eighth inning of a baseball game ,Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner catches a pop out from Oakland Athletics' Zack Gelof during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Oakland Athletics pitcher Mason Miller reacts to striking out Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki to end the baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Oakland Athletics' Shea Langeliers hits a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Oakland Athletics' Shea Langeliers celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)