As Hurricane Erick batters southern Mexico with flooding rains and power outages, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is warning that this may be just the beginning—predicting an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season fueled by warmer ocean temperatures, weak wind shear, and other storm-boosting conditions.
Hurricane Erick, which rapidly intensified to a powerful Category 4 storm earlier this week, weakened overnight to a tropical storm as it moved inland across southern Mexico.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s 0300 GMT advisory, Erick was located about 155 km (95 miles) from Acapulco early Thursday, with sustained winds of 50 km/h (30 mph).
Despite its downgrade, the storm left significant damage in its wake across Oaxaca and Guerrero, particularly in coastal and tourist communities.
“Very strong, very ugly”
The coastal village of Lagunas de Chacahua in Oaxaca, home to around 2,800 residents, took a direct hit.
According to reports, streets were flooded and homes with thatched roofs were destroyed.
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"It was very strong, very ugly... the entire town is homeless, without clothes, we have no help," 45-year-old Francisca Avila told AFP.
In Puerto Escondido, a popular beach destination for tourists, residents and first responders worked through Thursday to clear debris and drain floodwaters. Boats were buried in sand, trees and signs were toppled, and large parts of the town of 30,000 were left without electricity or mobile coverage.
“The water had never hit with this magnitude,” merchant Luis Alberto Gil, 44, told AFP. His shop was among many flooded.
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Power outages and blocked roads
During her morning press briefing, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that heavy rain is still forecast for the southern states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas, and Veracruz and Puebla in central Mexico. She thanked residents for following government instructions “very responsibly,” and reported:
- 15 roads closed in Oaxaca
- More than 123,000 electricity customers affected by outages
- 2,000 shelters established in advance of the storm across three states
In Puerto Escondido, many restaurants remained closed Thursday, though some tourists opted to stay, riding out the storm.
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Roughly 400 km to the north, Acapulco was quiet, with shops boarded up and boats grounded.
Humanitarian efforts in Mexico have begun as organizations like World Central Kitchen’s Response Team mobilize in the areas hardest hit to assess needs and partner with local restaurants to provide food relief.
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