Category 3 hurricane Erick approaching Mexico's coast

Perth Now

14 hours ago

Hurricane Erick has powered up into a Category 3 major hurricane as it bears down on the southern Mexico coast, threatening to unleash destructive winds, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge on the region.
Swiftly strengthening from a Category 1 hurricane hours earlier, Erick had maximum sustained winds of 200 kph by nightfall as it churned offshore about 85 kilometres southwest of Puerto Angel, the Miami-based US National Hurricane centre said.
Erick was also about 200 kilometres southeast of Punta Maldonado and moving northwest at 15 kph toward an expected landfall sometime Thursday morning, according to the centre's latest advisory.
Forecasters said further strengthening is expected and devastating wind damage is possible near where the eye crashes ashore.
The projected path would take its centre 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 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.
Some beaches were already closed, but tourists continued to sunbathe on others hours earlier as the storm gained strength well offshore.
On a beach in Acapulco, a line of people waited for the help of a backhoe to pull their boats out of the water.
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 harbour, which had traditionally been how they ensured their safety during previous storms.
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 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.
Down the coast in Puerto Escondido near the southern edge of Erick's possible path, some fishermen began pulling their boats out of the water under a drizzling sky Wednesday.
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 582 shelters were set to receive people who might evacuate their homes.
President Claudia 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.