The political situation in Mexico

Wastewater linked to cancer crisis: "Not normal"

Wastewater from Mexico City has created a health crisis in the small town of General Pedro María Anaya, north of the Mexican capital, reports the New York Times.

The community is situated right next to a dam complex that has served as the final destination for the waste for decades. To make matters worse, discharges from industries supplying energy to the capital have exacerbated the crisis.

45-year-old Yury Uribe has compiled a list of more than 60 cancer cases within just a few blocks.

"It’s not normal," she says.

The UN has classified the area as a "sacrifice zone"—a place where the population's health deteriorates for the benefit of residents in capital cities. 

Magnolia, 51: We who live here are going through hell

Residents living near the Endho Dam in Mexico are raising the alarm about an ongoing health crisis involving a disproportionately high number of cancer cases, reports the New York Times.

Another consequence of the dam serving as the final destination for Mexico City’s wastewater is the swarms of insects plaguing the residents. In the evenings, many lock themselves indoors, burning cardboard to drive the pests away.

"What we go through every day is hell," says 51-year-old Magnolia Sánchez.