More About Hurricane Erick 2025:
The United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) has declared that Hurricane Erick 2025 is now a “very dangerous” Category 4 storm hours before it is expected to strike Mexico’s Pacific coast.
The meteorological center reported in its most recent bulletin that Erick might become even more strong before striking the western part of Oaxaca state and the eastern part of Guerrero state on Thursday morning.
Forecasters have projected that the main storm, which is headed northwest at a speed of 15 km/h (nine mph), would unleash destructive winds, flash floods and a dangerous storm surge.
The NHC said as it approached Mexico that the maximum sustained winds of the hurricane had risen to roughly 230km/h (145mph), falling within the Category 4 wind speed range of 209-251km/h (130-156mph).
Erick could spew up to 16 inches (40cm) of rain on Oaxaca and Guerrero, the NHC cautioned, increasing the risk of “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain”.
The Miami-based center also mentioned that the Mexican states of Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco might also get up to six inches of rain.
Erick’s expected route changed late on Wednesday since it is now headed toward the Oaxaca resort city of Puerto Escondido. For the whole coastal region between Acapulco and Puerto Angel, there is a hurricane warning.
Ahead of Erick’s arrival, Mexican officials have hurried to equip citizens and visitors. President Claudia Sheinbaum advised viewers in a Wednesday night video message to stay at home or relocate to shelters should they live in low-lying areas.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said that operators in fishing and tourism had been advised to make their boats storm ready while schools in her state would remain closed.
Among those preparing for Erick’s arrival were residents of the Guerrero resort of Acapulco.
Hurricane Otis devastated almost a million people in October 2023, killing at least 52 people and ruining many homes and businesses.
Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant near an Acapulco beach during the 2023 hurricane. Wednesday, he watched employees arrange chairs and tables in readiness for the approaching storm.
” Authorities’ warnings fill us with fear and clearly make us remember everything we have already been through,” he said.
Veronica Gomez, a 40-year-old employee of a shipping company, suggested elsewhere in the city that this time the city was considerably more ready. She said, “now it’s not going to catch us by surprise.”
The NHC projects Erick to dissipate on Thursday night or early Friday; it is probably going to rapidly weaken as it approaches the mountains.
