Hurricane Erick was strengthened at noon on Wednesday to a category 2 hurricane as he approached the southern coast of the Mexican Pacific, where he will touch on Thursday morning turned into a “Major Hurricane,” said the National Hurricane Center of the United States (CNH).
At 12:00 local time (1800 GMT), Erick was about 165 kilometers south-southeast of Puerto Ángel, a coastal town of the Oaxaca state, and blew maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour (km/h), while traveling northwest at 15 km/h.
“A Air Force recognition (of the United States) recognition determines that Erick is now a category 2 hurricane,” said the CNH in his most recent report.
“It is expected to bring harmful winds and sudden floods that endanger life in parts of southern Mexico tonight and Thursday,” he added.
Erick will be the first hurricane to play land in Mexico in this season of Cyclones, which goes from May to November. Scientists have warned that the current hurricane season will be superior to the average, with between eight and 11 hurricanes and four to six major hurricanes.
According to the CNH, Erick will leave heavy rains that will cause floods and landslides, especially in areas of steep land, in the coastal states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero.
The rains and strong winds would hit the tourist destinations Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, Huatulco, among others. A category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale blows maximum sustained winds between 181 and 210 km/h, considered extremely dangerous and can cause structural damage to small buildings.
Laura Velázquez, National Civil Protection Coordinator, announced the installation of temporary shelters in the potentially affected areas, where citizens are being made to alert citizens and more than 8,000 troops from the Army and 9,000 of the Navy will be deployed.
With Reuters information.
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