Super-storm Patricia swirled toward Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday as the strongest hurricane on record, sending residents and authorities scrambling to prepare for a potential major hit.
Authorities relocated some villagers, closed ports and schools in several states, and evacuated tourists from beach hotels as the hurricane headed toward shore in the western state of Jalisco later Friday.
Patricia "is the most dangerous (hurricane ever) recorded in the world," President Enrique Pena Nieto wrote on Twitter.
"The country faces a threat of great scale," Pena Nieto said, adding that the government's priority is to "protect and save the lives of Mexicans."
The head of Mexico's National Water Commission, Roberto Ramirez said the hurricane was expected to make landfall at around 5:00-6:00 pm (2200-2300 GMT).
Rain pelted the coast after Patricia mushroomed late Thursday into a Category Five storm -- the top of the Saffir-Simpson scale -- with maximum sustained winds of 325 kilometers (200 miles) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Stores shut down in the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta and shop owners placed duct tape in the shape of an X on their windows to protect them.
"I've had to give away tape to people who weren't prepared," said Ramiro Arias, owner of a frame shop. "We're procrastinators. We don't react until we see the situation."
Some 7,000 foreign and 21,000 Mexican tourists were in Puerto Vallarta ahead of the storm, said Jalisco state tourism secretary Enrique Ramos Flores.
The seafront hotels were evacuated and an unknown number of tourists were taken to shelters, the airport and bus stations, he said.
Despite the incoming storm, a swimmer was spotted in the water in the morning.
A handful of people waited at a bus station before service ended at midday while others bought water and loaded vehicles with jerrycans of fuel.
The center said on its website that Patricia was the strongest hurricane it has ever recorded in either Atlantic or eastern North Pacific waters.
"Some fluctuations in intensity are possible this afternoon but Patricia is expected to remain an extremely dangerous category five hurricane through landfall," the center said.
"An extremely dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding near and to the right of where the center makes landfall," the Miami-based center added.
- 'Better safe than sorry' -
Forecasts show that Patricia will make landfall in Jalisco, near the major port of Manzanillo in Colima state and the tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta, which Mexican officials fear could face a direct hit.
Some businesses boarded up their store windows in Manzanillo.
"Better to be safe than sorry. Hurricanes are unpredictable," said Enrique Esparza, manager of El Gran Mueble furniture store, which is near the seafront.
Rosa Elba Figueroa, a housewife, left a supermarket with a bag full of canned tuna, powdered milk, bread, water and batteries.
"We're running home to put wood and tape on the windows," she said late Thursday.
Jose Maria Tapia Franco, director of the National Disaster Fund, said 400,000 people live in vulnerable areas.
Officials said nearly 1,800 shelters for 259,000 people are available.
At the beach village of Boca de Pascuales, authorities took 70 people to a shelter while another 30 drove to the homes of relatives further inland.
In Colima, communities around the Volcano of Fire were evacuated over concerns that ash that accumulated during recent volcanic activity could combine with water to produce landslides.
Authorities deployed 400 federal police to assist populations in the area.
- Downpour coming -
At 1800 GMT, Patricia was 135 kilometers (85 miles) southwest of Manzanillo and moving north at 19 kilometers per hour, according to the US forecasters.
Patricia is expected to produce up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rainfall over the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero, which could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, the US center said.
The National Water Commission said Patricia was "so big and intense" that it could cross the entire country, dip into the Gulf of Mexico, and make landfall in the United States.
Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima and Nayarit are expected to get the equivalent of 40 percent of their annual rainfall in the next 48 hours, the National Water Commission said.
Mexico faces the double threat of Atlantic and Pacific tropical storms during the hurricane season, which ends November 30.
In 2013, twin storms Ingrid and Manuel nearly simultaneously struck each coast, leaving 157 people dead in a rare double onslaught.
Super-storm Patricia swirled toward Mexico’s Pacific coast on Friday as the strongest hurricane on record, sending residents and authorities scrambling to prepare for a potential major hit.
Authorities relocated some villagers, closed ports and schools in several states, and evacuated tourists from beach hotels as the hurricane headed toward shore in the western state of Jalisco later Friday.
Patricia “is the most dangerous (hurricane ever) recorded in the world,” President Enrique Pena Nieto wrote on Twitter.
“The country faces a threat of great scale,” Pena Nieto said, adding that the government’s priority is to “protect and save the lives of Mexicans.”
The head of Mexico’s National Water Commission, Roberto Ramirez said the hurricane was expected to make landfall at around 5:00-6:00 pm (2200-2300 GMT).
Rain pelted the coast after Patricia mushroomed late Thursday into a Category Five storm — the top of the Saffir-Simpson scale — with maximum sustained winds of 325 kilometers (200 miles) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Stores shut down in the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta and shop owners placed duct tape in the shape of an X on their windows to protect them.
“I’ve had to give away tape to people who weren’t prepared,” said Ramiro Arias, owner of a frame shop. “We’re procrastinators. We don’t react until we see the situation.”
Some 7,000 foreign and 21,000 Mexican tourists were in Puerto Vallarta ahead of the storm, said Jalisco state tourism secretary Enrique Ramos Flores.
The seafront hotels were evacuated and an unknown number of tourists were taken to shelters, the airport and bus stations, he said.
Despite the incoming storm, a swimmer was spotted in the water in the morning.
A handful of people waited at a bus station before service ended at midday while others bought water and loaded vehicles with jerrycans of fuel.
The center said on its website that Patricia was the strongest hurricane it has ever recorded in either Atlantic or eastern North Pacific waters.
“Some fluctuations in intensity are possible this afternoon but Patricia is expected to remain an extremely dangerous category five hurricane through landfall,” the center said.
“An extremely dangerous storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding near and to the right of where the center makes landfall,” the Miami-based center added.
– ‘Better safe than sorry’ –
Forecasts show that Patricia will make landfall in Jalisco, near the major port of Manzanillo in Colima state and the tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta, which Mexican officials fear could face a direct hit.
Some businesses boarded up their store windows in Manzanillo.
“Better to be safe than sorry. Hurricanes are unpredictable,” said Enrique Esparza, manager of El Gran Mueble furniture store, which is near the seafront.
Rosa Elba Figueroa, a housewife, left a supermarket with a bag full of canned tuna, powdered milk, bread, water and batteries.
“We’re running home to put wood and tape on the windows,” she said late Thursday.
Jose Maria Tapia Franco, director of the National Disaster Fund, said 400,000 people live in vulnerable areas.
Officials said nearly 1,800 shelters for 259,000 people are available.
At the beach village of Boca de Pascuales, authorities took 70 people to a shelter while another 30 drove to the homes of relatives further inland.
In Colima, communities around the Volcano of Fire were evacuated over concerns that ash that accumulated during recent volcanic activity could combine with water to produce landslides.
Authorities deployed 400 federal police to assist populations in the area.
– Downpour coming –
At 1800 GMT, Patricia was 135 kilometers (85 miles) southwest of Manzanillo and moving north at 19 kilometers per hour, according to the US forecasters.
Patricia is expected to produce up to 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rainfall over the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero, which could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, the US center said.
The National Water Commission said Patricia was “so big and intense” that it could cross the entire country, dip into the Gulf of Mexico, and make landfall in the United States.
Jalisco, Michoacan, Colima and Nayarit are expected to get the equivalent of 40 percent of their annual rainfall in the next 48 hours, the National Water Commission said.
Mexico faces the double threat of Atlantic and Pacific tropical storms during the hurricane season, which ends November 30.
In 2013, twin storms Ingrid and Manuel nearly simultaneously struck each coast, leaving 157 people dead in a rare double onslaught.
