By Aida Pelaez-Fernandez MEXICO CITY/PUERTO ESCONDIDO (Reuters) -Erick weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall as a major hurricane on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Thursday, leaving flooded streets, damaged boats and buildings in Oaxaca as authorities warned of dangerous rains. Erick made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near the resort town Puerto […]
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Erick weakens to tropical storm over Mexico, leaves trail of damage
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By Aida Pelaez-Fernandez
MEXICO CITY/PUERTO ESCONDIDO (Reuters) -Erick weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall as a major hurricane on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Thursday, leaving flooded streets, damaged boats and buildings in Oaxaca as authorities warned of dangerous rains.
Erick made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near the resort town Puerto Escondido around 5:30 a.m. local time (1130 GMT). By mid-afternoon, it had slowed to a tropical storm as it moved inland, with sustained winds weakening to 50 mph (85 kph).
In coastal towns, residents began clearing debris. “There are many boats sunk here,” said fisherman Eduardo Gonzalez in Puerto Escondido. “We’re here to help our colleagues.”
Officials cautioned that Erick’s intense rains remained dangerous.
“Life-threatening flooding and mudslides are expected, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, forecasting up to 8 inches (20 cm) of rain for Guerrero state with up to 4 inches for its neighboring Oaxaca and Michoacan states.
Mexico’s environment ministry also had warned of waves of up to 10 meters (33 feet).
No deaths were immediately reported, Laura Velazquez, the head of Mexico’s civil protection agency, said at a press conference.
Two hospitals had suffered damage and power supply was compromised, she added. State-owned utility CFE reported that more than 123,000 users had lost power in Oaxaca, with service restored to 26% by late morning.
Oaxaca Governor Salomon Jara said roads and highways were significantly damaged.
Erick is the earliest major hurricane to make landfall in the eastern Pacific, meteorologists from AccuWeather said.
“Rapid intensification near coastal cities is a major concern this hurricane season…as water temperatures continue to increase,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert.
Areas around Acapulco are especially vulnerable, AccuWeather said, as the beach town is still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Otis which hit in 2023.
(Reporting by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; Additional reporting by Jose Cortes in Puerto Escondido, Mexico; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum, Andrea Ricci, Deepa Babington and David Gregorio)