Acapulco, Mexico — Hurricane Eric has intensified into a major Category 3 hurricane approaching southern Mexico’s coast with destructive winds and heavy rains, the U.S. Hurricane Center said Wednesday evening.
The Miami-based center warned that Eric had a maximum sustained wind of 120 mph after a few hours of rapid strengthening, strengthening from a Category 1 storm earlier in the day.
The Cyclone is located in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 55 miles south-southwest of the Puerto Angels in Mexico. It also moves northwest at 9 mph about 160 miles southeast of Punta Maldonado, the latest Hurricane Centre Advisory said.
The storm’s projected path will be centrally located near the resort of Acapulco, which was devastated by Hurricane Otis in October 2023. Category 5 hurricanes were rapidly intensifying and many were not ready. At least 52 people have died in Otis and 32 have gone missing after the storm severely damaged almost every hotel at the resort.
In Acapulco on Wednesday, there was a strong presence of the National Guard and police on the streets, but the most prominent one was the National Electric Power Company trucks. The crew worked to clean and polish the drains.
Some beaches were already closed, but tourists continued to sunbathe on other beaches.
On the beach in Acapulco, a series of people waited for the help of the backhoe to pull the boat out of the water.
Adrián Acevedo Durantes, 52, takes tourists around the picturesque coastline of Acapulco on the boat. Two of his boats sank into Hurricane Otis, while the third was severely damaged.
“We didn’t expect Otis to bring one of its sizes, so we’re taking precautions because climate change will keep the water warmer and hurricanes stronger,” Acevedo says.
This time, the port administration ordered no one to board their boats and ride the storm. During Otis, many people lost their lives by staying in boats in the port. He said he knew some of the people lost in the sea.
He admitted it was sunny and the water had settled down on a Wednesday afternoon, and although it’s hard to imagine a big storm on the way, “Otis was calm all day, clear, and there was two hours of strong winds in the middle of the night and saw what happened the next day.”
Francisco Casalbio, a 46-year-old choreographer, carried a carton of eggs during his last minute shopping before the storm. He was planning to pick up rice, beans and canned food as well.
His home has been flooded in Otis and lost power, and although he is taking Eric more seriously, he says he doesn’t have time to shop until Wednesday.
Forecasters said Eric is expected to smash Mexico’s Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and heavy storm surges. The center’s advisory states that up to 16 inches (40 cm) of rain fell into the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico, with fewer totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco. Rainfall threatens flooding and landslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
Down the coast of Puerto Escondido near the southern tip of the road that could be Eric, they began pulling boats out of the water on Wednesday under drizzling skies.
The wind had not yet been greeted at Zicatera Beach, but the Red Flag was there to warn people to stay away from the water. However, some surfers ignored them as they were on the waves.
Laura Belazuquez, Mexican national civil defense coordinator, said Eric is expected to bring “heavy” rains on Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico.
Coastal mountainous areas are particularly prone to landslides, with many rivers that can jump over banks.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said all schools were closed on Wednesday and the state warned of all storm risks for fisheries and tourism operators and recommended that boats be prepared. The port of Acapulco was closed Tuesday evening. She said the 582 shelter is ready to accept people who may evacuate her home.
During a daily news briefing, President Claudia Sinbaum warned residents on the hurricane path to wait for storms in their homes and government shelters, keeping their government direction in mind.
