Hurricane John moved along Mexico's Baja California peninsula early Saturday, lashing local resort towns with gusting wind and driving rain.
CABO SAN LUCAS: Hurricane John moved along Mexico's Baja California peninsula early Saturday, lashing local resort towns with gusting wind and driving rain.
Authorities said the Category 2 storm came ashore at about 0000 GMT in Cabo Pulmo, some 45 kilometres northwest of Cabo San Lucas, in an area boasting a fleet of sleek fishing yachts, million-dollar condos and oceanfront golf courses.
With wind speeds in excess of 160 kilometres per hour, Mexican authorities put the region on full alert ahead of the landfall.
A total of 15,000 people, many of them foreigners, were evacuated from threatened areas. But of 10,000 tourists, most of them Americans, who were registered in hotels along the 42-kilometre stretch of coastline known as Los Cabos on Thursday, most opted to stick out the storm.
"Only 10 to 15 per cent of them decided to leave," said Jorge Castaneda, a spokesman for the local authorities. Others rushed to fly out before strong winds forced the closure of the airport on Friday, while many boaters took their expensive yachts to safe harbor. Several hotels shut down and others set up emergency shelters in comparatively safe rooms. Authorities banned sale and public consumption of alcohol, though hotel bars paid little heed to the regulation.
Forecasters warned the storm could cause "life-threatening floods and mudslides over mountainous areas," as well as "large and battering waves" on the coast.
At 9000 GMT, the eye of the storm was just outside the city of La Paz, the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida reported.
US forecasters believe John will travel along the eastern coast of Baja California all day at about 15 kilometres an hour. Some weakening was expected.
John is a strong but compact hurricane, with hurricane-force winds extending only 35 kilometres from the centre. The US center said "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion" along the projected path of the storm.
"It's the first time in 30 years that a hurricane of this magnitude is heading straight for us. We are well prepared, but you never know," said Jose Montano, of the Cabo San Lucas mayor's office.
Residents stocked up on essential supplies, and some were still buying plywood to secure their homes just hours before the storm barreled ashore.
"We are very worried, but we don't lose hope that it will not hit land," said Daniel Soto, a local who opted to ride out the storm at home saying there was a good chance the winds that usually sweep the area would chase John away.
Bur surfers in Cabo San Lucas enjoyed the waves churned up by the menacing hurricane until the last moment, as a few dozen vacationers looked on from shore.
William Perran, a 62-year-old salesman from Arizona, was determined not to let a hurricane ruin his annual Mexican vacation.
"I feel safe," said Perran as he watched the darkening skies.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}