Hurricane Erick Makes Landfall with Exceptional Force in Mexico

Hurricane Erick, a major force in the Pacific, made landfall on the southwestern coast of Mexico on Thursday morning. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reported winds of up to 205 km/h (approximately 127 mph). The cyclone struck shortly before 6:00 AM local time (12:00 GMT) on the border between the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, between the tourist destinations of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido.

Classified as a Category 3 hurricane, Erick approached the Mexican coast, threatening the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca with strong winds and torrential rains. Alerts were issued, and authorities ordered evacuations, opening over 580 shelters for vulnerable populations. Rainfall of up to 400 mm (approximately 16 inches) is expected, increasing the risk of flash floods and landslides, particularly in mountainous areas. Moderate rainfall is also expected to affect the Mexican states of Chiapas, Michoacán, Colima, and Jalisco. A significant rise in sea levels will exacerbate the risk of coastal flooding.

Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution due to these extreme weather conditions.

The NHC upgraded Erick to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale overnight, describing it as “extremely dangerous” and warning of “extremely destructive winds” and “life-threatening landslides.”

Acapulco and Puerto Escondido on High Alert

Alert messages were broadcast in the resort towns of Puerto Escondido and Acapulco, which was heavily impacted by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, in October 2023. Residents began heading to shelters, while small recreational boats were taken out of the water.

In Puerto Escondido, restaurants were already closed despite the presence of tourists. Adalberto Ruiz, a local fisherman, stated, “They say it will hit this side of the coast, we will take our precautions so we don’t regret anything later.”

Widespread Emergency Response

Authorities suspended classes, closed ports to navigation, and asked residents to cease all non-essential activities starting at 8:00 PM. Supermarkets were scheduled to close at 6:00 PM. Hundreds of soldiers were deployed, along with agents from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), mobilized as part of the national emergency plan.

President Claudia Sheinbaum was scheduled to speak at a press conference at 7:30 AM local time (1:30 PM GMT), after calling on the population to take shelter on Wednesday evening. Rain began to fall in the evening, following a sunny day.

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