Hurricane Agatha barreled toward southern Mexico’s Pacific coast on Monday, threatening to lash beach resorts in the state of Oaxaca with torrential rains and flooding when it plows ashore later in the day.
A Category 2 storm and the first hurricane to form in the eastern Pacific this year, Agatha was blowing maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (177 kph) into mid-morning, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Agatha is not expected to alter in strength much before reaching land this afternoon, the center noted. The eye of the storm should slam into the coast close to the beach getaways of Puerto Escondido and Mazunte, NHC projections show.
Authorities have set up 200 shelters along the coastal region of Oaxaca with capacity to shelter 26,000 people, according to local civil protection officials.
A hurricane warning is in effect from the port of Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua, the Miami-based NHC said.
Salina Cruz is the site of a major refinery run by state oil firm Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex).
At 10 a.m. (1500 GMT) Agatha was about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Puerto Angel, and churning northeast at around 8 mph (13 kph), according to the NHC.
Agatha is expected to dump 10 to 16 inches (25-41 cm) of rain on Oaxaca, and up to 20 inches in some areas, which could spark lethal flash flooding and mudslides, the NHC said.
Heavy rains are also expected to douse the state of Chiapas, as well as Veracruz, Tabasco and eastern parts of Guerrero.
Agatha should weaken fast after hitting land and dissipate over southeastern Mexico by late Tuesday, the NHC said.
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