The Category 4 storm could have a "potentially catastrophic impact" on Western Sinaloa and Nayarit states. The hurricane will make landfall on the same day as Tropical Storm Vicente hammers the coast further south.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo
Advertisement
Hurricane Willa, a Category 4 storm, advanced on Monday toward Mexico's popular Pacific coast, threatening a tourist hub and fishing villages. The Mexican government has warned residents to evacuate high-risk areas and seek shelter.
Willa is headed to shore with maximum sustained winds of 233 kilometers (145 miles) per hour, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest update.
Despite downgrading from Category 5 to 4 on approach, "Willa is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the coast of Mexico," the NHC said.
The authorities warned that Willa could produce "life-threatening" storm surges, wind and rainfall with large and destructive waves, and have a "potentially catastrophic" impact on western-central and southwestern regions of the country.
Mexican authorities urged residents to evacuate their homes and head to temporary shelters. Shipping ports have been closed, school is canceled, and beachside activities are also suspended.
The storm is set to make landfall south of the resort town of Mazatlan, in Sinaloa state, on Tuesday afternoon local time. But other tourist destinations in the neighboring state of Nayarit are also near to the storm's path.
Willa could bring 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain to parts of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa states, while flash flooding and landslides could occur in mountainous areas.
Further south, Tropical Storm Vicente is also set to make landfall on Tuesday and expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to Mexico's south and southwest.
Officials have already reported 12 deaths due to heavy rains as Vicente approached.
Mexico's Pacific coast has already experienced deadly storms and rains this hurricane season. In September, at least 15 people were killed during flash floods in the states of Sinaloa and Michoacan.
jcg/rt (AFP, Reuters, AP)
Hurricane Michael devastates Florida
Hurricane Michael has ravaged Florida's northwest, also known as the Florida Panhandle. It is the most powerful hurricane to have ever hit the region.
Image: Reuters/S. Nesius
Michael slams Florida Panhandle
The storm blew ashore early Wednesday afternoon near Florida's Mexico Beach as a Category 4 hurricane. It was just short of being categorized as level 5. With winds surging to 155 mph (250 kph), Michael wreaked havoc on the Florida Panhandle, leaving a devastating trail of destruction along the Gulf coast before it was downgraded to a tropical storm in the evening as it moved further inland.
Image: Reuters/S. Nesius
Cities devastated
Numerous buildings in Panama City were demolished, partially collapsed or without roofs amid deserted streets littered with debris, twisted, fallen tree trunks and dangling wires. About 3,500 Florida National Guard troops were deployed to assist with evacuations and storm recovery, along with more than 1,000 search-and-rescue personnel, Florida Governor Rick Scott said. One person has died so far.
Image: Reuters/WeatherNation
Thousands evacuated
Some 375,000 people were ordered to evacuate their homes, but many residents found themselves trapped after they were caught unawares when the storm doubled in strength as it approached land. "It really started as a tropical storm, and then it went to Category 1, then it was Category 2 and before you know it, it was Category 4," said US Air Force General Terrence O'Shaughnessy.
Image: Getty Images/M. Wallheiser
Widespread power outages
More than 400,000 people in Florida, Georgia and Alabama were without power. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) chief Brock Long said many buildings were not built to withstand a storm above the strength of a Category 3 hurricane. Long said Michael was one of the most intense hurricanes to hit the area since 1851.
Image: Reuters/J. Bachman
Storm heads for Carolinas
As Michael plows northward up the Atlantic seaboard, the governors of North and South Carolina urged residents to brace for more heavy rain and storm-force winds. Both states are still recovering from major flooding following Hurricane Florence less than a month ago.
Image: Getty Images/M. Wallheiser
Extent of damage unknown
Authorities said the full extent of devastation would not be known until after daybreak in Florida on Thursday. In the meantime, curfews were imposed across much of the region. Last year saw a slew of catastrophic storms batter the western Atlantic, including Irma, Maria and Harvey, which caused at least $125 billion (€108.2 billion) in damage when it flooded the Houston metropolitan area.
