Hurricane Erick upgraded to Category 4 storm as it approaches Mexico

1 week ago 20

The United States National Hurricane Center has warned of the hazard of ‘life-threatening flooding and mudslides’.

Published On 19 Jun 2025

Hurricane Erick has go an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 storm, hours earlier it is expected to pummel Mexico’s Pacific coastline, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) has said.

In its latest bulletin, the meteorological centre said Erick could turn adjacent much almighty earlier making landfall successful the eastbound portion of Guerrero authorities and the occidental portion of Oaxaca authorities connected Thursday morning.

The large storm, which is travelling to the northwest astatine a complaint of 15km/h (nine mph), volition unleash destructive winds, flash floods and a unsafe tempest surge, forecasters person predicted.

As it neared Mexico, the NHC reported that the hurricane’s maximum sustained winds had accrued to astir 230km/h (145mph), putting it wrong the Category 4 upwind velocity scope of 209-251km/h (130-156mph).

Boats are removed from the h2o to Manzanillo formation up of the accomplishment of Hurricane Erick successful Acapulco, Mexico

The NHC warned that Erick could unleash up to 16 inches (40cm) of rainfall connected Oaxaca and Guerrero, bringing the hazard of “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly successful areas of steep terrain”.

The Mexican states of Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco could besides beryllium deed by up to 6 inches of rainfall, the Miami-based centre added.

Late connected Wednesday, Erick’s projected way was revised, arsenic it is headed person to the edifice metropolis of Puerto Escondido successful Oaxaca. A hurricane informing is successful spot for the full coastal country betwixt Acapulco and Puerto Angel.

Mexican authorities person scrambled to hole residents and tourists up of Erick’s arrival. In a video connection connected Wednesday night, President Claudia Sheinbaum urged radical to enactment astatine location oregon determination to shelters if they were successful low-lying areas.

Some 2,000 impermanent shelters person been acceptable up successful the states of Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca to location those who person to permission their homes.

Meanwhile, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said that schools successful her authorities would enactment closed, and that sportfishing and tourism operators had been told to marque their boats tempest ready.

Residents successful the Guerrero edifice of Acapulco were among those steeling themselves for Erick’s landfall.

The metropolis of astir 1 cardinal radical was devastated successful October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, which killed astatine slightest 52 radical and destroyed galore homes and businesses.

Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, mislaid his edifice astatine the borderline of an Acapulco formation successful the 2023 hurricane. On Wednesday, helium oversaw workers arsenic they stored tables and chairs successful mentation for the caller storm.

“Authorities’ warnings capable america with fearfulness and evidently marque america retrieve everything we’ve already been through,” helium said.

Elsewhere successful the city, Veronica Gomez, a 40-year-old shipping institution worker, suggested the metropolis was overmuch amended prepared this time. “Now it’s not going to drawback america by surprise,” she said.

Erick is apt to rapidly weaken arsenic it reaches the mountains, and it is predicted to dissipate connected Thursday nighttime oregon aboriginal Friday, according to the NHC.