The first hurricane of the East Pacific season intensified on Sunday as it spiraled toward Mexico’s south coast, with sustained maximum winds of 177 km / h expected to worsen before the storm made landfall on Monday.
“Further strengthening is expected over the next 12 to 24 hours, and Agatha is expected to become a major hurricane when it arrives on the southern coast of Mexico on Monday,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. United in Florida.
As of 4 p.m. Sunday, Mexico City time, Hurricane Agatha was about 300 miles southwest of Puerto Angel, according to the NHC.
Hurricane warnings have been issued for parts of the Oaxaca coast, extending from Salina Cruz to Lagunas de Chacahua, the NHC said.
“The storm surge is expected to produce extremely dangerous coastal flooding,” he said.
Hurricane Agatha is seen on Sunday on the Pacific coast of Mexico in this satellite image. (NOAA / The Associated Press)
In Oaxaca, authorities have set up 200 shelters along the coastal region with a capacity to accommodate 26,000 people, according to local Civil Protection.
About 5,000 tourists are expected to be in the impact zone, which is home to popular beach destinations.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rains to the southern states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Guerrero, the NHC said, which could cause “sudden and life-threatening mudslides.”