Hurricane Nora Makes Landfall In Mexico

Guadalajara, Mexico, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Aug, 2021 ) :Hurricane Nora made landfall Saturday near Mexico's Pacific coastline but no casualties have been reported so far, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The Category 1 storm made landfall near Tomatlan in Mexico's Jalisco state and will continue north towards the states of Nayarit and Sinaloa, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported.

As it passed through Jalisco on Saturday night, the hurricane brought heavy rain that "will likely result in life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides" across Mexico's west coast over the weekend, the NHC said.

On Saturday night, the hurricane was moving along the coast with sustained winds of 75 miles (120 km) an hour, the NHC reported, adding little change in speed was expected.

"A storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in areas of onshore winds. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves," it said.

The center of the hurricane is expected to move near the coast and exit into the Gulf of California, the NHC added, saying the storm could also turn east and move further inland where it will dissipate.

Mexican authorities have so far not reported any injuries but Jalisco's governor Enrique Alfaro tweeted that relief efforts have "intensified" with 500 homes affected by an overflowing stream.

"During the passage of Hurricane Nora, under no circumstances should you go out on the streets, or attempt to cross bodies of water," the Jalisco Civil Protection department warned on Twitter.

Mexican authorities have set up 15 shelters in Jalisco and deployed first responders to the impact zone.

A mobile kitchen has been set up to distribute "4,500 daily food rations" with emergency supplies also being made available, Alfaro said.

In Puerto Vallarta's tourist district, hotel staff were told to move closer guests closer to the beach areas and relocate those occupying rooms on the second floors, Martha Rodriguez, director of Beach Tourism of the state of Jalisco, told AFP.

The town's international airport had been closed since Saturday afternoon. Landslides and falling trees have forced authorities to also shut down a stretch of highway in the state.

Last weekend, a Category 3 hurricane hit Veracruz in Mexico's east, killing at least 11 people.