Hurricane Agatha hits the Pacific coast of Mexico

Heavy rains and strong hurricane force winds Agatha The palm trees were whipped and tourists and residents were sheltered in the sparsely populated area except for a few small communities along the coast.

The Oaxaca State Civil Defense Agency showed families struggling to shelter in Pochutla, as well as landslides and mud that blocked the road between the city and the state capital.

After training on Sunday .. Agatha According to the US National Hurricane Center, it gained strength rapidly and landed as a powerful Category 2 hurricane on Monday afternoon. Agatha The winds were blowing at a speed of 165 km / h 10 km west of Puerto Angel, but quickly began to lose strength as it moved inland.

In the evening the winds were blowing at a speed of 130 kmph. The storm is moving northeast at 13 km / h, heading towards the Gulf of Mexico, where its remnants may be visible again.

Near Puerto Angel, winds, heavy rains and big waves began to hit the seaport town of Zipolite, which has long been known for its clothing-optional beach and bohemian vibe.

“There was a lot of rain and gusts of wind,” said Sylvia Ranfagni, manager of the Casa Kalmar Hotel in Zipolite. The sea is really turbulent and it is raining a lot. You can hear the wind howling. ⁇

National emergency officials said they had mobilized more than 9,300 task forces for the area and had opened more than 200 shelters as forecasters warned of dangerous storms and floods from heavy rains.

In the western surf town of Puerto Escondido, people took shelter and ended up placing plywood to keep the windows from cracking in high winds.

Jeff Masters, a meteorologist and founder of Climate Underground at Yale Climate Connections, explained that hurricanes in the region typically originate from tropical waves off the coast of Africa.

“Since the African monsoons usually do not begin to produce tropical waves until early May or mid – May, there is not enough early interruption to cause several East Pacific hurricanes,” Mr. Masters wrote in an email. Will be more.

Mr. The masters are not sure about thatAgatha Launched by a tropical wave – low pressure areas across the tropics – but the storm benefited from warm water and weak wind shear.

The US National Hurricane Center has forecast 250 to 400 millimeters of rain in some parts of Oaxaca, with an isolated maximum of 500 millimeters, raising fears of flash floods and mudslides.

In Huatulco, municipal authorities closed schools and ordered a “complete closure” of all beaches and its seven bays, most of which are accessible only by boat.

The Mexican Turtle Center – formerly a slaughterhouse in Majunte – has announced it will remain closed to visitors until further notice due to the hurricane.