Mexico City – June 18 — Hurricane Erick rapidly intensified into a powerful Category 3 storm on Wednesday, posing a significant threat to Mexico’s southern Pacific coast. Forecasters expect the hurricane to make landfall early Thursday, bringing destructive winds, torrential rain, and life-threatening flash floods.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), reconnaissance data from a hurricane hunter aircraft confirmed Erick’s major hurricane status as of 6 p.m. CST (2300 GMT). Packing maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h (121 mph), the storm was located just 90 km (56 miles) from Puerto Angel, with hurricane warnings in effect stretching westward to Acapulco.
“This is a major hurricane capable of devastating damage,” the NHC stated in its latest advisory, warning that parts of Oaxaca and Guerrero could receive up to 16 inches (41 cm) of rain. Coastal flooding, landslides, and waves up to 6 meters (20 feet) are expected as the storm system moves inland.
Hurricane Erick marks the first hurricane landfall of the 2025 Pacific hurricane season, which runs from May to November. Meteorologists are forecasting an above-average season, with between eight and eleven named hurricanes, of which up to six could reach major hurricane strength. Scientists have noted that Erick may become the most intense early-season storm ever recorded along Mexico’s Pacific coastline.
Emergency Response Underway
In anticipation of the storm’s impact, Mexican federal and state authorities have launched widespread emergency preparedness measures. More than 18,000 first responders have been mobilized, and over 500 shelters have been opened across the affected regions. Evacuation protocols are in effect, particularly in popular tourist destinations such as Acapulco, which is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Otis in October 2023.
Acapulco International Airport announced the suspension of all flights scheduled for Thursday via its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents to heed official warnings, remain indoors, and relocate to shelters if they reside in vulnerable areas. “The safety of our citizens is the top priority,” she said in a national address.
Mexico’s national water authority, Conagua, reiterated that the rainfall associated with Erick could lead to widespread flooding and dangerous landslides in mountainous terrain.
As Erick continues its approach, authorities are urging vigilance and preparedness, underscoring the severe threat posed by the season’s first major storm.
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