MEXICO-STORM/PATRICIA Mexico braces for onslaught from historic Hurricane Patricia

Record ID: 135545

  • Title: MEXICO-STORM/PATRICIA Mexico braces for onslaught from historic Hurricane Patricia
  • Date: 23rd October 2015
  • Summary: PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO (OCTOBER 23, 2015) (REUTERS) GENERAL OF COASTLINE WATER HITTING SHORE MAN TAKING PHOTO ON SMART PHONE PALM TREES ALONG SHORE PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH TOWN STREETS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PUERTO VALLARTA RESIDENT, FABIAN PONCE, SAYING: "I am doing well here with my mother. They had told it was going to be category four, and after monitoring, it's been ra
  • Embargoed: 7th November 2015 12:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA4VLSQTAVL67GW78S8DIG89YTK
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    Hurricane Patricia strengthened into one of the most powerful storms in history on Friday (October 23) as it barreled toward Mexico's Pacific Coast, forcing resort hotels to evacuate guests and residents to stockpile supplies.
    The National Hurricane Centre said Patricia was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, and on a par with Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which ravaged the Philippines, killing thousands.
    Speaking from Mexico City, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto spoke to the nation and expressed confidence in the official response.
    "The (Mexican) Republic is duly involved and very attentive before this natural phenomenon that we are about to deal with. The national emergency committee has already installed, that I am taking charge of at this moment, preventive measures that have already begun to be put into place for what is estimated to be the biggest hurricane from at least the last 50 years in the Pacific Ocean," he said, with his cabinet alongside him.
    Loudspeakers along the shore of the resort of Puerto Vallarta blared orders to evacuate hotels as a light rain fell and a slight breeze ruffled palm trees. The streets emptied as police sirens wailed.
    The city's airport was closed on Friday morning. Local schools were also closed and some business owners were busy boarding and taping up windows.
    The NHC said the damage potential was "catastrophic".
    The storm grew at an "incredible rate" in the past 12 hours, the World Meteorological Organization said. The head of Mexico's Water Commission spoke to the nation of the latest date.
    "(Patricia) has already sustained winds of maximum strength at least 325 kilometres (202 miles) per hour and wind gusts of up to 400 kilometres (249 miles) per hour. (Patricia) is moving 19 km (12 miles) per hour in the direction towards the north, northwest. The prognostication indicates that Patricia will curve towards the northwest, and could strengthen even more before making landfall. The directly affected areas are expected to be Jalisco state, though coverage is to be extended from the area at the port of Manzanillo in Colima through the edge of Nayarit (state)," Mexico's Water Commission Director, Roberto Ramirez said.
    Haiyan killed more than 6,300 people and wiped out or damaged practically everything in its path as it swept ashore on Nov. 8, 2013, destroying around 90 percent of the city of Tacloban.
    The strongest storm ever recorded was Cyclone Tip which hit Japan in 1979.
    Patricia was last located about 145 miles (235 km) south-southwest of the port of Manzanillo, where a hurricane warning had been issued. A hurricane warning was also in effect for the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta.
    It is a Category 5 hurricane, the highest rating possible, and was expected to make landfall as an "extremely dangerous" storm on Friday afternoon or evening, the Miami-based hurricane centre said earlier.
    Mexican emergency officials prepared shelters and warned people in the states of Colima, Jalisco and Michoacan to prepare for torrential rainfalls.
    Speaking to Reuters, residents of Puerto Vallarta felt they were being kept in the loop by their government.
    "I am doing well here with my mother. They had told it was going to be category four, and after monitoring, it's been raised to category five, so now they've told us there will be protections, there will be special sites where people can stay, and it's possible it can make landfall today, from what I know in the afternoon or night," said local, Fabian Ponce.
    The U.S. government issued an advisory urging its nationals to steer clear of beaches and rough seas and to take shelter as instructed by Mexican officials.
    Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo are key cargo ports, and both were shut as the storm approached, port officials said.
    None of the major installations of Mexican state oil company Pemex lie in the projected path of the storm.
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