MEXICO: South eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula goes on full alert as hurricane Wilma takes direct aim

Record ID: 307380

  • Title: MEXICO: South eastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula goes on full alert as hurricane Wilma takes direct aim
  • Date: 20th October 2005
  • Summary: WIDE SHOT PEOPLE AT LOCAL SUPERMARKET; WIDE BEACH (3 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 4th November 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Weather
  • Reuters ID: LVA9REHD7UU3ZJJE5Q7Y5SH2WJQP
  • Story Text: Fishermen moved their boats to safety and tourists tried to flee on Wednesday (October 19, 2005) from Hurricane Wilma, a ferocious storm heading for Mexico's Caribbean coast.
    Described by meteorologists as potentially catastrophic, Wilma dumped rain on the Honduran coast and briefly whipped up winds of nearly 175 mph (280 km).
    Authorities began evacuating 10,000 people in the Mexican coastal state of Quintana Roo and tourists lined up at the airport to escape the beach resort of Cancun, where the storm was due to hit on Thursday. But many flights were full.
    "I heard from the men that a hurricane may be coming but we stay maybe in the hotel," said Lisa a Dutch tourist who had been evacuated from the island of Cozumel to Playa del Carmen on the mainland. "I don't know what we're going to do."
    Wilma, a Category 5 storm and the strongest Atlantic hurricane in terms of barometric pressure ever recorded, is set to brush past the Mexican coast and Cuba before striking Florida later this week.
    It will probably spare the U.S. oil and natural gas rigs and refineries on the Gulf of Mexico that had been badly battered by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in recent months.
    "Based on this phenomenon we are taking a bit more precautions because it is closing in on the coast of Quintana Roo. We can't say where it might hit because it is very erratic," said the Regional Director of Mexico's Civil Protection, Moises Ramirez.
    The sun was shining in Cancun, a low-lying spit of land dotted with hotels, but residents were taking no chances and going to the supermarket to stock up on supplies.
    Hurricane Emily pounded Cancun and the surrounding area in July, but damage was limited.
    It was the second time this year weather hit one of its shows.
    The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the barometric pressure in the center of the storm was 882 millibars, the lowest ever recorded in the Atlantic.
    But Hurricane Gilbert in 1988 had higher peak maximum sustained winds, the hurricane center said.
    Low barometric pressure creates high winds and hurricane center spokesman Stacy Stewart said Wilma's winds might be stronger than the 175 mph recorded by reconnaissance planes.
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