Although weather reports predicted a 75 percent probability of precipitation for Saturday, May 14, many Lakeside residents were taken by surprise when an unusually intense rainstorm swept through the Chapala area in the late afternoon.
The sudden cloudburst fueled by heavy gusts of wind knocked down trees, utility poles and electrical wires at multiple points along the north shore. A widespread power outage hit Chapala, San Antonio Tlayacapan and Ajijic, throwing the area into darkness until Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) workers finally managed to restore service close to 9 p.m.
Local authorities attributed the main source of the problem to the collapse of power lines stretched over the highway in the vicinity of the SANE salsa manufacturing plant at Chapala’s northern outskirts. The local Civil Protection unit closed down vehicle traffic on the roadway between the Libramiento bypass and the zone of the Soriana supermarket until the CFE crew cleared the way. In the meantime, motorists heading into and out of Chapala were redirected to alternative points of entry and exit via the Libramiento.
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