Authorities in Durango maintained their operational deployment this Monday at an informal settlement located on federal land in the Ampliación San José III neighborhood of the capital city, after evicting approximately 200 families who were living illegally in the area surrounding the railroad tracks.
According to the report, citizen complaints prompted government intervention, citing critical conditions that compromised the health and safety of the residents.
The eviction operation took place in the early morning hours. Security forces from all three levels of government, as well as operational personnel aboard heavy machinery, arrived at the site while the families slept in their homes.
“Well, they left us with nothing. Look, I only managed to grab the TV and a small bed… everything else, the cabinets, everything is over there. We have nowhere to go, nothing,” explained Sandra López, one of those affected.
Authorities Give Their Account of the Eviction in Durango
The makeshift homes were made primarily of wood and cardboard sheets, leading to frequent fires.
“The families living here were in a difficult situation, so the evacuation was ordered to ensure both the safety and health of the residents. (…) 108 homes were removed; 11 people were taken to the municipal DIF shelter,” explained Bonifacio Herrera, the municipal government secretary.
Authorities stated that they are seeking to reduce risks, prevent larger emergencies, and restore safe and healthy conditions in this area of Durango.
“We have about two thousand tons of debris to be removed from this site. We received constant calls from residents of the surrounding neighborhoods about the problems caused by this situation. They were constantly at risk, illegally tapping into the power grid, and there were power outages; unfortunately, there were also robberies, creating a situation of insecurity for the residents,” the official added.
After the evacuation was completed, public works and civil protection crews continued removing the structures and fragile materials.
Source: unotv
