Hurricane John strikes Mexico’s Pacific coast south of Acapulco
Al Jazeera
Hurricane John hit the same coastal area of Mexico where Hurricane Otis ravaged Acapulco last year, killing 47 people.
Hurricane John has struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast with fierce winds and heavy rainfall after strengthening from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours.
John’s rapid intensification caught authorities off guard early Monday as they scrambled to update their guidance to residents and keep pace with the stronger storm.
It made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 190km/h (120mph) after rapidly intensifying on Monday.
John hit land near the town of Punta Maldonado in the Mexican state of Guerrero to the south of the tourist hubs of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido, before weakening inland. Forecasters also predict the storm may slow its forward movements as its winds weaken.
Shortly before the hurricane hit, the US National Hurricane Center said “life-threatening” storm surges and flash floods were already ravaging the Pacific coast near Oaxaca. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and other authorities urged people to take shelter.
