Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

Mexico’s most devastating storms

-

As colossal Hurricane Patricia threatens Mexico's Pacific coast with a potential catastrophe, here is a look at past named storms that have devastated the Latin American country:

JANET

The first Category Five hurricane to be recorded made landfall on September 27, 1955, in the eastern state of Quintana Roo, crushing wooden homes in the capital city of Chetumal and killing hundreds of people.

MEXICO

Until Patricia, it was considered the most powerful to have formed in the Pacific, a Category Five hurricane with 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour winds. It smashed into the coast on October 29, 1959, near the port of Manzanillo, leaving more than 1,000 people dead. Patricia has 325 kph (200 mph) winds and is also expected to make landfall near Manzanillo.

BEULAH

It crashed into Quintana Roo on September 16, 1967, around the resort of Cozumel, then returned to the Atlantic where it regained force and reached Category Five power before slamming northeastern Mexico and the US state of Texas. Some 40 people died in Mexico.

LIZA

This Pacific hurricane reached Category Four on September 30, 1976, before striking the southern part of Baja California peninsula. More than 1,000 died and the homes of tens of thousands of people were damaged.

GILBERTO

The Category Five hurricane made landfall on September 14, 1988, on the Caribbean island of Cozumel before crashing into the Cancun resort. It returned to the Atlantic and then slammed into northeastern Mexico. The storm caused major flooding in the industrial hub of Monterrey. Some 200 people died, mostly in Monterrey.

PAULINE

Hurricane Paulina killed hundreds of people after making landfall on October 8, 1997, in the southern state of Oaxaca. Hours later, it moved into neighboring Guerrero state, producing record rainfall and a landslide. Hundreds died.

WILMA

The destruction in Terminal 1 of the airport in Cancun  Mexico on December 25  2005 after Hurricane ...
The destruction in Terminal 1 of the airport in Cancun, Mexico on December 25, 2005 after Hurricane Wilman
Omar Torres, AFP/File

This erratic hurricane made landfall as a Category Four storm on October 21, 2005, in Cozumel and pummeled Cancun and the Riviera Maya for 48 hours. Eight people died while $10 billion worth of damage was caused in Mexico, especially in the tourist hotels. Looting followed the disaster.

MANUEL AND INGRID

Mexico was hit nearly simultaneously by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid on both coasts in September 2013, a rare double landfall that left 157 people dead, including dozens who were buried in a mudslide in Guerrero.

As colossal Hurricane Patricia threatens Mexico’s Pacific coast with a potential catastrophe, here is a look at past named storms that have devastated the Latin American country:

JANET

The first Category Five hurricane to be recorded made landfall on September 27, 1955, in the eastern state of Quintana Roo, crushing wooden homes in the capital city of Chetumal and killing hundreds of people.

MEXICO

Until Patricia, it was considered the most powerful to have formed in the Pacific, a Category Five hurricane with 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour winds. It smashed into the coast on October 29, 1959, near the port of Manzanillo, leaving more than 1,000 people dead. Patricia has 325 kph (200 mph) winds and is also expected to make landfall near Manzanillo.

BEULAH

It crashed into Quintana Roo on September 16, 1967, around the resort of Cozumel, then returned to the Atlantic where it regained force and reached Category Five power before slamming northeastern Mexico and the US state of Texas. Some 40 people died in Mexico.

LIZA

This Pacific hurricane reached Category Four on September 30, 1976, before striking the southern part of Baja California peninsula. More than 1,000 died and the homes of tens of thousands of people were damaged.

GILBERTO

The Category Five hurricane made landfall on September 14, 1988, on the Caribbean island of Cozumel before crashing into the Cancun resort. It returned to the Atlantic and then slammed into northeastern Mexico. The storm caused major flooding in the industrial hub of Monterrey. Some 200 people died, mostly in Monterrey.

PAULINE

Hurricane Paulina killed hundreds of people after making landfall on October 8, 1997, in the southern state of Oaxaca. Hours later, it moved into neighboring Guerrero state, producing record rainfall and a landslide. Hundreds died.

WILMA

The destruction in Terminal 1 of the airport in Cancun  Mexico on December 25  2005 after Hurricane ...

The destruction in Terminal 1 of the airport in Cancun, Mexico on December 25, 2005 after Hurricane Wilman
Omar Torres, AFP/File

This erratic hurricane made landfall as a Category Four storm on October 21, 2005, in Cozumel and pummeled Cancun and the Riviera Maya for 48 hours. Eight people died while $10 billion worth of damage was caused in Mexico, especially in the tourist hotels. Looting followed the disaster.

MANUEL AND INGRID

Mexico was hit nearly simultaneously by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid on both coasts in September 2013, a rare double landfall that left 157 people dead, including dozens who were buried in a mudslide in Guerrero.

AFP
Written By

With 2,400 staff representing 100 different nationalities, AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage of the issues affecting our daily lives.

You may also like:

Business

As CIO of the Canadian Cancer Society, Lesa O’Brien shows that innovation in non-profits is about trust, culture, and real impact

Business

How neuroscience is changing what leaders understand about stress, empathy, and transformation

Tech & Science

The EU said Google is demoting media publishers' websites and content in search results when they include content such as sponsored editorial pieces.

Social Media

MrBeast, the world's most followed YouTuber with over 450 million subscribers, opened a temporary amusement park in Riyadh.