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A tropical storm that struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a major hurricane weakened on Tuesday, but forecasters warned of heavy rain and flash floods inundating the region for the coming days.
“Slow-moving John will bring very heavy rainfall to coastal areas of southwest Mexico throughout the week,” the US-based National Hurricane Center said.
“This rainfall is likely to cause significant and potentially catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides” in the southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and Guerrero.
Authorities had advised residents to seek shelter as strong winds and rain battered beaches ahead of John’s landfall near Marquelia in Guerrero.
The NHC reported that maximum sustained winds had decreased to around 70 miles (110 kilometres) per hour, after previously reaching over 120 mph, according to a 0900 GMT update.
A tropical storm warning was in place from east of Acapulco to Lagunas de Chacahua on the Pacific coast, the NHC added.
“Further rapid weakening is expected, and John is likely to become a tropical depression later today,” the NHC said.
Through Thursday, John is forecasted to produce up to 15 inches of rain in parts of Chiapas, and nearly double that amount in some areas of Oaxaca and Guerrero.
“John is producing extraordinary rainfall (greater than 250 mm or 9.8 inches) in Oaxaca and Guerrero; torrential rain is affecting Chiapas,” the National Civil Protection agency stated in a post on X early Tuesday.
The agency issued a red alert on Monday, advising people to stay indoors and avoid windows.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also urged coastal residents to be prepared.
“Seek higher ground, protect yourselves, and remember that life is the most important thing; material items can be replaced,” he wrote on X.
Authorities in Oaxaca reported that temporary shelters were being opened, schools were being closed, beaches were being shut, and machinery was being mobilised in case road clearance was necessary.
In Guerrero, schools were also closed on Tuesday, according to the state education agency on X.
The international airport in the tourist resort of Puerto Escondido suspended all flights.
In Guerrero, around 300 temporary shelters were prepared in case they were needed.
Restaurant workers were seen bringing furniture in from the beaches, while fishermen returned to shore.
Hurricanes affect Mexico every year on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts, usually between May and November.
In October last year, Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, left a trail of devastation and several dozen deaths after hitting the beachside city of Acapulco in Guerrero.
Otis intensified rapidly within hours, transforming from a tropical storm to the most powerful level on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, catching authorities off guard.
AFP
