The United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) has announced that Hurricane Erick has advanced to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm just before it is expected to scuttle Mexico’s Pacific coastline.
The meteorological center’s most recent bulletin indicated that Erick might gain even more strength before making landfall on Thursday morning in Guerrero and Oaxaca, both in the eastern region of the state.
Forecasters have predicted that the major storm will cause destructive winds, flash floods, and a risky storm surge as it moves northwest at a rate of 15 kilometers per hour (nine mph).
The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds increased to 230 km/h (145 mph), according to the NHC, putting it within the Category 4 wind speed range of 208 to 251 km/h (130 to 156 mph).
The NHC warned that Erick could cause “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” bringing up to 16 inches (40 cm) of rain in Oaxaca and Guerrero.
Up to 6 inches of rain could fall on the Mexican states of Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco, according to the Miami-based center.
As it moves closer to the Oaxacan resort city of Puerto Escondido, Erick’s projected path was changed late on Wednesday. The entire coastal region between Acapulco and Puerto Angel is under a hurricane warning.
Before Erick’s arrival, Mexican authorities have scrambled to get the population and tourists ready. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to stay at home or relocate to shelters if they were in low-lying areas in a video message on Wednesday night.
In Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca, there are about 2, 000 temporary housing units that can accommodate those who have to leave their homes.
Meanwhile, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado announced that fishing and tourism companies had been instructed to prepare their boats for storms and that all of her state’s schools would remain closed.
Acapulco, a resort resort in Guerrero, was one of the places where people prepared for Erick’s landing.
Hurricane Otis, which killed at least 52 people and destroyed many homes and businesses in the city of almost one million people, devastated the city in October 2023.
In the 2023 hurricane, Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant on the sand dunes of Acapulco. He watched workers prepare for the new storm on Wednesday by preparing tables and chairs.
He said, “Authorities’ warnings fill us with fear and obviously make us remember everything we’ve already been through.”
Another 40-year-old employee at the city, Veronica Gomez, suggested the city was much better prepared this time around. She said, “Now it won’t catch us by surprise.”
According to the NHC, Erick is likely to gradually deteriorate as it travels to the mountains, and it will likely vanish.
Source: Aljazeera
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