Two dead in Mexico as Hurricane Erick moves on from Mexican coast
Hurricane Erick killed at least two people as it swept through southern Mexico, causing significant damage to coastal communities before weakening to a low-pressure system Thursday night, authorities said.
A man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in the southern Oaxaca state, where Erick made landfall, after handling high-voltage cables near a stream, the state government said.
A child died in neighboring Guerrero state after being swept away by a swollen stream as his mother tried to carry him across in the town of San Marcos, civil protection authorities reported.
The US National Hurricane Center's latest advisory at 3:00 a.m. GMT said Erick had weakened overnight to a tropical storm located 95 miles (155 kilometers) from Acapulco port, with sustained winds of 30 mph (50 km/h) as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday.
Coastal communities in Oaxaca, including Lagunas de Chacahua – home to around 2,800 people – were directly hit by the storm, which destroyed thatched roofs and flooded streets.
'It was very strong, very ugly… the entire town is homeless, without clothes, we have no help,' Francisca Avila, a 45-year-old housewife, told AFP, as she surveyed the loss of most of her belongings.
In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach.
Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cellphone coverage.
The water 'had never hit with this magnitude' in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her morning briefing that heavy rains are still expected in the southern states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas, as well as Veracruz and Puebla.
She thanked the population for following the authorities' recommendations 'very responsibly,' in a message shared on her social media. The president reported 15 road sections closed in the state of Oaxaca, as well as more than 123,000 users affected by power outages.
Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts.
In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people.
Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.
Sheinbaum had urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters – some 2,000 of which had been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca in anticipation.
'Since (Erick) just made landfall, we are in contact with the Defense (department) and the Navy, who are in the area, and we will be able to inform in a few hours what the effects are on these populations,' she said at her daily press conference Thursday morning.
Restaurants remained shuttered in Puerto Escondido even though some tourists insisted on staying and riding out the storm.
Around 250 miles (400 kilometers) north along the Pacific coast, Acapulco – a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife – was largely deserted Thursday as residents heeded calls to hunker down, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded.
Many had stocked up the day before on food, water and gasoline.
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Al Arabiya
15 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Two dead in Mexico as Hurricane Erick moves on from Mexican coast
Hurricane Erick killed at least two people as it swept through southern Mexico, causing significant damage to coastal communities before weakening to a low-pressure system Thursday night, authorities said. A man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in the southern Oaxaca state, where Erick made landfall, after handling high-voltage cables near a stream, the state government said. A child died in neighboring Guerrero state after being swept away by a swollen stream as his mother tried to carry him across in the town of San Marcos, civil protection authorities reported. The US National Hurricane Center's latest advisory at 3:00 a.m. GMT said Erick had weakened overnight to a tropical storm located 95 miles (155 kilometers) from Acapulco port, with sustained winds of 30 mph (50 km/h) as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday. Coastal communities in Oaxaca, including Lagunas de Chacahua – home to around 2,800 people – were directly hit by the storm, which destroyed thatched roofs and flooded streets. 'It was very strong, very ugly… the entire town is homeless, without clothes, we have no help,' Francisca Avila, a 45-year-old housewife, told AFP, as she surveyed the loss of most of her belongings. In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach. Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cellphone coverage. The water 'had never hit with this magnitude' in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her morning briefing that heavy rains are still expected in the southern states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas, as well as Veracruz and Puebla. She thanked the population for following the authorities' recommendations 'very responsibly,' in a message shared on her social media. The president reported 15 road sections closed in the state of Oaxaca, as well as more than 123,000 users affected by power outages. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths. Sheinbaum had urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters – some 2,000 of which had been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca in anticipation. 'Since (Erick) just made landfall, we are in contact with the Defense (department) and the Navy, who are in the area, and we will be able to inform in a few hours what the effects are on these populations,' she said at her daily press conference Thursday morning. Restaurants remained shuttered in Puerto Escondido even though some tourists insisted on staying and riding out the storm. Around 250 miles (400 kilometers) north along the Pacific coast, Acapulco – a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife – was largely deserted Thursday as residents heeded calls to hunker down, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded. Many had stocked up the day before on food, water and gasoline.
Arab News
15 hours ago
- Arab News
Two dead in Mexico as Hurricane Erick moves on from Mexican coast
PUERTO ESCONDIDO: Hurricane Erick killed at least two people as it swept through southern Mexico causing significant damage to coastal communities before weakening to a low-pressure system Thursday night, authorities said. A man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in the southern Oaxaca state, where Erick made landfall, after handling high-voltage cables near a stream, the state government said. A child died in neighboring Guerrero state after being swept away by a swollen stream as his mother tried to carry him across in the town of San Marcos, civil protection authorities reported. The US National Hurricane Center's latest advisory at 0300 GMT said Erick had weakened overnight to a tropical storm located 95 miles (155 kilometers) from Acapulco port, with sustained winds of 30 mph (50 kmh) as it moved across southern Mexico on Thursday. Coastal communities in Oaxaca including Lagunas de Chacahua, home to around 2,800 people, were directly hit by the storm, which destroyed thatched roofs and flooded streets. 'It was very strong, very ugly... the entire town is homeless, without clothes, we have no help,' Francisca Avila, a 45-year-old housewife, told AFP, as she surveyed the loss of most of her belongings. In the tourist town of Puerto Escondido, residents and emergency personnel worked to drain flooded streets and clear debris left behind as the storm knocked over trees and street signs and buried boats under sand on the beach. Much of the town of about 30,000 people was left without electricity or cellphone coverage. The water 'had never hit with this magnitude' in Puerto Escondido, 44-year-old merchant Luis Alberto Gil, whose shop was among those flooded, told AFP. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her morning briefing that heavy rains are still expected in the southern states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas, as well as Veracruz and Puebla. She thanked the population for following the authorities' recommendations 'very responsibly,' in a message shared on her social media. The president reported 15 road sections closed in the state of Oaxaca, as well as more than 123,000 users affected by power outages. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco, a major port and beach resort in Guerrero, was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed dozens of people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths. Sheinbaum had urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters — some 2,000 of which had been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca in anticipation. 'Since (Erick) just made landfall, we are in contact with the Defense (department) and the Navy, who are in the area, and we will be able to inform in a few hours what the effects are on these populations,' she said at her daily press conference Thursday morning. Restaurants remained shuttered in Puerto Escondido even though some tourists insisted on staying and riding out the storm. Around 250 miles (400 kilometers) north along the Pacific coast, Acapulco — a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife — was largely deserted Thursday as residents heeded calls to hunker down, with shops boarded up and tourist boats grounded. Many had stocked up the day before on food, water and gasoline.
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Erick Strengthens Into a Category 3 Major Hurricane Approaching Mexico's Coast
Southern Mexico's Pacific coast braced for a Thursday morning impact as Hurricane Erick spun toward shore as a powerful Category 3 major hurricane, threatening to unleash destructive winds, flash floods, and a dangerous storm surge on the region in coming hours, forecasters said. Swiftly strengthening from a Category 1 hurricane hours earlier, Erick had maximum sustained winds of 125 mph (200 kph) by nightfall as it churned offshore about 55 miles (85 kilometers) southwest of Puerto Angel, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said. Erick was also about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of Punta Maldonado and moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph) toward an expected landfall sometime early Thursday, according to the center's latest advisory. A major hurricane is defined as Category 3 or higher and wind speeds of at least 111 mph (180 kph). Forecasters said further strengthening is expected and devastating wind damage is possible near where the eye crashes ashore. Late Wednesday, Erick's projected path crept south, closer to the resort city of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state and centered on a sparsely populated stretch of coastline between the Oaxacan resort and Acapulco to the northwest. President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a video message Wednesday night that all activities in the region were suspended, and she urged people to stay in their homes or to move to shelters if they lived in low-lying areas. Waves were crashing onto the esplanade in Puerto Escondido by nightfall, swamping wooden fishing boats that had been pulled up there for safety. The beach disappeared under pounding waves, and the rising tide had already reached the interiors of some waterfront restaurants. Last-minute purchases ended at nightfall as stores closed and the streets emptied. Earlier in the day, fishermen in Puerto Escondido pulled their boats out of the water ahead of the storm's arrival. Some surfers continued to ride waves at the Zicatela beach even with red flags up to warn people to stay out of the water. The storm's course shift could be welcome relief for residents of storm-battered Acapulco. The city of nearly 1 million was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis, and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels. Acapulco residents said they were bracing for Erick's arrival with more preparation and trepidation because of the memory of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Otis two years earlier. Guerrero state Gov. Evelyn Salgado said via X that all movement in Acapulco and other beach communities was to be suspended at 8 p.m. Schools across the state were to remain closed for a second day Thursday. Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant at the edge of an Acapulco beach when Otis slammed the resort with devastating winds. On Wednesday, he directed workers storing tables and chairs. 'Authorities' warnings fill us with fear and obviously make us remember everything we've already been through,' Ozuna Romero said in reference to Otis. Elsewhere workers nailed sheets of plywood over shop windows and stacked sandbags outside doorways. Cars lined up to fill their tanks, and shoppers made last-minute purchases before rushing home. Verónica Gómez struggled through the streets of Acapulco with a large jug of water. 'We're all afraid because we think the same thing could happen,' said the 40-year-old employee of a shipping company. But she said she and others learned a lot from Otis. 'Now it's not going to catch us by surprise,' she said, holding out a bag of canned food as evidence. In Acapulco on Wednesday there was a strong presence of National Guard and police in the streets, but most visible were trucks from the national power company. Crews worked to clear drainage canals and brush. Forecasters said Erick was expected to lash Mexico's Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds, and a fierce storm surge. Rains of up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) could fall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco states, the center's advisory said. The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain. A hurricane warning was in effect from Acapulco to Puerto Ángel. A hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected in the area, and preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion, according to the hurricane center advisory. Laura Velázquez, Mexico's national civil defense coordinator, said Erick was forecast to bring torrential rains to Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas in southern Mexico. The mountainous region along the coast is especially prone to mudslides, with numerous rivers at risk of flooding. Guerrero Gov. Evelyn Salgado said all schools would remain closed, and the state had alerted all of the fishing and tourism operators to make their boats storm-ready. Acapulco's port closed Tuesday evening. Salgado said 582 shelters were set to receive people who might evacuate their homes. Sheinbaum warned in her daily briefing that those in the hurricane's path should heed government instructions and wait out the storm in their homes or designated shelters. Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick was churning through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification – when a storm gains at least 35 mph in twenty-four hours – which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane center.
