Hurricane Lorenzo slams Mexico's Gulf coast
Hurricane Lorenzo swept into Mexico’s Gulf coast early on Friday morning, packing 80 mph (130 kph) winds and dumping heavy rain on the already waterlogged state of Veracruz.
The system developed from a tropical depression to a category 1 hurricane in less than 24 hours. The U.S. National Hurricane Centre said the centre of the hurricane was just inland, southwest of the port city of Tuxpan at 0600 GMT this morning. However rapid weakening is forecast later today as Lorenzo continues inland.
Several thousand people living between Tuxpan and the town of Nautla further south were evacuated to storm shelters.
The hurricane is expected to dump up to 25 cms of rain (10 inches), across the state, with localised deluges of 38 cms (15 inches). After weeks of relentless rain over Veracruz, further rain could lead to flash floods and mudslides. Storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves is also expected near the centre
Lorenzo was the third hurricane to hit Mexico in the last few weeks after Dean and Henriette pounded its Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
