Tropical Storm John triggers warnings of life-threatening flooding after hitting Mexico

CNN
—

Hurricane John hit Mexico's southern coast as a Category 3 storm on Monday evening after rapidly strengthening in the Pacific, prompting warnings of “life-threatening” flooding and mudslides.

According to the National Hurricane Center, John reached the coast with maximum sustained winds of 120 miles per hour (193 km/h) when it made landfall south-southwest of the city of Marquelia, Guerrero state, around 9:15 p.m. local time.

John has now weakened to a tropical storm and is slowing down as it moves northwest of the coastal city of Acapulco in Oaxaca state. Its slow motion and interaction with nearby mountains will likely result in “catastrophic rainfall both along the coast and inland,” according to the National Hurricane Center.

Just a day earlier, the storm had reached peak speeds of 35 mph (56 km/h), but within 24 hours it experienced two rapid intensifications in which its speed more than tripled.

The storm may re-emerge over the ocean and re-strengthen as its center “passes along the southern coast of Mexico.” Despite its erratic movement, John will continue to produce heavy rains and life-threatening flash flooding in southern Mexico over the next few days.

The governor of Oaxaca said the state government had evacuated 3,000 people and set up 80 emergency shelters, while authorities suspended classes in several coastal areas on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

In Puerto Escondido, a tourist destination in the south of the state, shops were closed after authorities ordered a halt to all work on the area's main beaches, the news agency reported.

Ana Aldai, who works in a restaurant there, told AP she was “a little worried” that the authorities were notified so quickly.

“There was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases,” she said.

The Mexican government has changed the hurricane warning for the east of Acapulco to the Lagunas de Chacahua to a tropical storm warning. All hurricane warnings have been canceled.

Torrential rains of 15 to 30 centimeters, with isolated amounts of 38 centimeters, are expected in coastal areas of Chiapas. Areas along and near the coast from Oaxaca to southeastern Guerrero are expected to receive rainfall of 25 to 50 centimeters, with isolated amounts of 75 centimeters, through Thursday. The rains are likely to cause severe flash flooding and trigger mudslides in the rugged terrain.