Mexican government officials are tallying up the economic losses of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake that caused widespread damage in the capital, but for the manager of a downtown restaurant, the result is already all too clear.
Sitting in the entrance of his Guapa Papa restaurant Monday, surrounded by caution tape, Antonio Luna said: 香蕉视频直播淭his is a bust. It香蕉视频直播檚 already closed due to structural damage to the building.香蕉视频直播�
He had to let go the three dozen employees at the 1950s-themed restaurant and is just trying to salvage whatever furniture and equipment wasn香蕉视频直播檛 damaged.
香蕉视频直播淚n the end the company let everyone go because it couldn香蕉视频直播檛 continue having expenses,香蕉视频直播� Luna said.
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Moody香蕉视频直播檚 Investors Service said in a report Monday that the Sept. 19 earthquake that has killed at least 326 people in the capital and nearby states 香蕉视频直播渉as the potential to be one of Mexico香蕉视频直播檚 costliest natural catastrophes.香蕉视频直播�
Alfredo Coutino, Latin America director for Moody香蕉视频直播檚 Analytics, said they were still collecting data on losses, but a preliminary estimate was that the earthquake could knock 0.1 to 0.3 percentage point off growth in Mexico香蕉视频直播檚 gross domestic product in the third and fourth quarters.
For the full year, the impact on gross domestic product should be about 0.1 per cent. 香蕉视频直播淭he impact on the year香蕉视频直播檚 growth will be small, particularly considering that the reconstruction work will compensate for some of the total loss in activity during the fourth quarter,香蕉视频直播� Coutino said.
Money is expected to pour into the economy as Mexico City and the federal government tap their disaster funds. As of June, the city香蕉视频直播檚 disaster fund stood at 9.4 billion pesos (more than $500 million), making it slightly larger than the national fund, according to a Moody香蕉视频直播檚 Investors Services report.
Of course, the national fund also has to deal with recovery from the even stronger Sept. 7 quake that has been blamed for nearly 100 deaths, mostly in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.
There will be months of work ahead from demolition to repairs and reconstruction.
Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said that 360 香蕉视频直播渞ed level香蕉视频直播� buildings would either have to be demolished or receive major structural reinforcement. An additional 1,136 are reparable, and 8,030 buildings inspected so far were found to be habitable.
At least 38 buildings, including apartments and office buildings, collapsed during the earthquake.
Mexico香蕉视频直播檚 education ministry also has 1.8 million pesos to spend on school repairs. In Mexico City alone, only 676 of the city香蕉视频直播檚 9,000 schools had been inspected and cleared to resume classes, Education Secretary Aurelio Nuno said Monday.
AIR Worldwide, a Boston-based catastrophe modeling consultant, provided a wide range for industry-insured losses, but noted they would be only a small part of the total economic losses. It put the insured losses at between 13 billion pesos ($725 million) and 36.7 billion pesos ($2 billion).
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A graceful traffic roundabout encircled by restaurants, cafes and shops is now a sprawling expanse of medical tents, piles of food and other relief supplies, and stacks of building materials. While relief work went on outside Monday, men were busily wrapping furniture in foam and plastic inside the Antiguo Arte Europeo store.
Stone panels on the building香蕉视频直播檚 facade appeared cracked or were altogether missing. Saleswoman Luisa Zuniga said the owners were waiting for civil defence inspectors to certify there was no structural damage to the building before reopening to the public.
Meanwhile, they were moving furniture that could still be sold to their other branches.
香蕉视频直播淭hen we香蕉视频直播檒l see how long it takes to fix everything,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚t is important to get back to work.香蕉视频直播�
Edgar Novoa, a fitness trainer, went back to his job Monday after working as a volunteer following the earthquake. Around midday, he stopped his bicycle at a cleared foundation where a building of several stories had stood near his home.
He knelt and prayed while others left flowers and candles at the site.
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Associated Press photographer Moises Castillo contributed to this report.
Christopher Sherman, The Associated Press
