Residents of the state capital Guanajuato celebrated on Monday, July 2, the opening party of the La Olla dam.
This celebration dates from the time of the Colony and consists of opening the floodgates of the La Olla dam, located inside the colonial city of Guanajuato.
Edgar Castro, mayor of Guanajuato, said that “it is the main festivity of our city and based on this program is that the first Monday in July this traditional opening is made as part of a big celebration”.
The La Olla dam was built in 1741 and its gates are collapsible, more than three meters long, and it has a water fall more than 25 meters high, and the water goes into an underground tunnel that crosses the city.
(Photo: noticieros.televisa.com)
For more than two centuries, its opening comes with a celebration that symbolizes the beginning of the rainy season.
“We gave the banderazo so that the floodgates of the La Olla dam were open, it is a holiday where locals and tourists get together, as part of a family tradition,”said the mayor.
However, this year, the celebration was nearly canceled, after the overflow of the dam, due to the heavy raining registered a few days ago and that caused the flooding of streets, houses and alleys of this city.
The La Olla dam was overflowed just a week ago, by the effects caused by tropical storm “Bud”, which affected Central Mexico and the Bajio region.
The force of the water dragged rocks, mud and left dozens of vehicles stranded. In a matter of minutes, the streets of the Historic Center of Guanajuato were flooded.
Among the most affected streets were Sangre de Cristo, Cantarranas, Paseo de la Presa, Juarez, Alonzo and many of the Underground tunnels and streets.
Source: noticieros.televisa.com
