The rumble of thunder and flashes of lightning in the evening sky on Tuesday, May 28 were hints that the first storm of the season was breaking out along Lake Chapala’s north shore.
What came behind at around 9 p.m. was a spattering of light rain pushed by potent winds over Chapala and points west.
Almost immediately, the initial gusts blew down a pair of trees bordering the highway in La Floresta. The tall branches became entangled with nearby electrical lines, knocking down utility poles and unleashing a chain reaction power failure that left many parts of San Antonio Tlayacapan and Ajijic in darkness.
Work crews from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) were quickly dispatched to deal with the damages and restore service, but due to the complicated nature of the situation the blackout persisted in some areas until Wednesday evening. The fallen trees likewise knocked down lines pertaining to local cable companies that provide Internet and television services.
Several other trees in central Ajijic also tumbled during the freak storm, a weather phenomenon that commonly occurs in the final weeks before the rainy season commences.
There are justified concerns among local inhabitants that the La Floresta tree line is in peril of more devastating damage soon. Many of the trees in that area have become overgrown and root-bound, making them susceptible to the ravages of nature.
Last year the Chapala government identified several aging and sickly trees in the zone, but apparently no measures have been taken to prune or remove those most in danger of collapsing during stormy weather.