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Hurricane Erick strengthens to Category 3 storm as it approaches Mexico
Hurricane Erick has intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane threatening approaching southern Mexico's coast with destructive winds and heavy rain, the US Hurricane Center said Wednesday evening.
The Miami-based center warned Erick has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) after hours of rapid intensification, strengthening from a Category 1 storm earlier in the day.
The cyclone is in the eastern Pacific about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south-southwest of Puerto Angel in Mexico. It's also about 160 miles (260 kilometers) southeast of Punta Maldonado and moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), the latest hurricane center advisory said.
Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened Wednesday afternoon into a potent Category 2 storm as it churned toward Mexico's southern coast amid warnings it was likely to become a dangerous major hurricane that would threaten the region with damaging winds, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
The hurricane's maximum sustained winds had risen by early afternoon to 110 mph (175 kph) as the intensifying storm headed toward an expected landfall sometime Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Erick was centered about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south of Puerto ngel, the latest advisory said.
The storm's projected path would take its center near the resort of Acapulco, which 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 32 were missing, after the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels.
In Acapulco 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.
Some beaches were already closed, but tourists continued to sunbathe on others.
On a beach in Acapulco, a line of people waited for the help of a backhoe to pull their boats out of the water.
Adrin Acevedo Durantes, 52, hauls tourists around Acapulco's picturesque coastline in boats. Two of his boats sank in Hurricane Otis and a third was badly damaged.
We're taking precautions because with Otis we never expected one of that magnitude to come and now with climate change the water is warmer and the hurricanes are more powerful, Acevedo said.
This time the port administration ordered that no one ride out the storm aboard their boats. During Otis many lost their lives by staying on boats in the harbor, which had traditionally been how they ensured their safety during previous storms. He said knew some of those lost at sea.
He acknowledged that it was sunny and the water calm Wednesday afternoon, making it hard to imagine a major storm was on the way, but said with Otis it was calm all day, sunny, then at midnight there were two hours of strong winds and we saw what had happened the next day.
Francisco Casarubio, a 46-year-old choreographer, carried a carton of eggs as he did some last-minute shopping ahead of the storm. He planned to pick up rice, beans and some canned food as well.
His home flooded and lost power in Otis and said he was taking Erick more seriously, but hadn't had time to shop until Wednesday.
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.
Erick was forecast to reach major hurricane strength late Wednesday near the coast and is then expected to move inland. A major hurricane is defined as Category 3 or higher and wind speeds of at least 111 mph (180 kph).
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Hindustan Times
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President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a video message Wednesday (June 18, 2025) 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 still 'scarred' by Otis 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 (June 19, 2025). 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. Also read: 2024's record ocean heat revved up Atlantic hurricane wind speeds: study In Acapulco on Wednesday (June 18, 2025), 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. Rain could be Erick's legacy 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 centimetres) could fall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states, the centre'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 centre advisory. Laura Velázquez, Mexico's national civil defence 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. Erick quickly doubled in strength 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 24 hours — which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane centre.
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Hurricane Erick has intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane threatening approaching southern Mexico's coast with destructive winds and heavy rain, the US Hurricane Center said Wednesday evening. The Miami-based center warned Erick has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) after hours of rapid intensification, strengthening from a Category 1 storm earlier in the day. The cyclone is in the eastern Pacific about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south-southwest of Puerto Angel in Mexico. It's also about 160 miles (260 kilometers) southeast of Punta Maldonado and moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), the latest hurricane center advisory said. Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened Wednesday afternoon into a potent Category 2 storm as it churned toward Mexico's southern coast amid warnings it was likely to become a dangerous major hurricane that would threaten the region with damaging winds, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. The hurricane's maximum sustained winds had risen by early afternoon to 110 mph (175 kph) as the intensifying storm headed toward an expected landfall sometime Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Erick was centered about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south of Puerto ngel, the latest advisory said. The storm's projected path would take its center near the resort of Acapulco, which 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 32 were missing, after the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort's hotels. In Acapulco 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. Some beaches were already closed, but tourists continued to sunbathe on others. On a beach in Acapulco, a line of people waited for the help of a backhoe to pull their boats out of the water. Adrin Acevedo Durantes, 52, hauls tourists around Acapulco's picturesque coastline in boats. Two of his boats sank in Hurricane Otis and a third was badly damaged. We're taking precautions because with Otis we never expected one of that magnitude to come and now with climate change the water is warmer and the hurricanes are more powerful, Acevedo said. This time the port administration ordered that no one ride out the storm aboard their boats. During Otis many lost their lives by staying on boats in the harbor, which had traditionally been how they ensured their safety during previous storms. He said knew some of those lost at sea. He acknowledged that it was sunny and the water calm Wednesday afternoon, making it hard to imagine a major storm was on the way, but said with Otis it was calm all day, sunny, then at midnight there were two hours of strong winds and we saw what had happened the next day. Francisco Casarubio, a 46-year-old choreographer, carried a carton of eggs as he did some last-minute shopping ahead of the storm. He planned to pick up rice, beans and some canned food as well. His home flooded and lost power in Otis and said he was taking Erick more seriously, but hadn't had time to shop until Wednesday. 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. Erick was forecast to reach major hurricane strength late Wednesday near the coast and is then expected to move inland. A major hurricane is defined as Category 3 or higher and wind speeds of at least 111 mph (180 kph).
