Hurricane Erick becomes Category 4 in southwestern Mexico with “extremely dangerous” winds

The Pacific coast, in southern Mexico, is on maximum alert ahead of the imminent arrival of Hurricane Erick, which was upgraded to category 4 in the early hours of Thursday by the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). Erick is located approximately 110 kilometers west-southwest of Puerto Ángel and about 145 kilometers southeast of Punta Maldonado, according to the meteorological center, based in Miami. The storm has sustained winds of up to 230 km/h (145 mph) and is slowly moving northwest at a speed of 15 km/h (9 mph), reported ABC News. A hurricane is defined as category 4 when wind speeds reach between 130 and 156 mph. The projected trajectory indicates that Erick could impact a sparsely populated area between Puerto Escondido and Acapulco, which generates concern among local authorities and residents. In this regard, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced that all activities in the region were suspended and urged the population to stay in their homes or seek shelter if they live in vulnerable areas.

Material losses after Erick’s passage

The images from Puerto Escondido showed waves battering the boardwalk, flooding fishing boats and covering beaches under a blanket of water. Fishermen removed their boats from the water to avoid damage, while some surfers continued to defy the warnings with red flags raised in Zicatela. The change in the hurricane’s trajectory has been considered a relief for Acapulco, which suffered catastrophic damage in October 2023 after Hurricane Otis, a category 5 storm that left more than 52 dead and destroyed much of its hotel infrastructure. The memory of that devastation has motivated greater caution among residents and local authorities in the face of Erick’s arrival. Governor Evelyn Salgado reported via X (formerly Twitter) that all movements in Acapulco and other tourist areas would be suspended starting at 8:00 p.m., in addition to keeping schools closed for the second consecutive day.