Hurricane Erick, a powerful Category 3 hurricane, made landfall in Oaxaca, Mexico, early Thursday. Packing 125 mph winds, the storm, initially a Category 4, impacted the coast near Punta Maldonado, between Acapulco and Puerto Escondido. While expected to weaken rapidly over the mountainous terrain, Erick still poses a significant threat of destructive winds, flash flooding, and storm surge. The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor the storm's dissipation, anticipated late Thursday or early Friday
Hurricane Erick, a Category 3 major hurricane with 125 mph (205 kph) sustained winds, made landfall near Punta Maldonado, Mexico. Located approximately 20 miles (30 kilometers) east of Punta Maldonado, the storm moved northwest at 9 mph (15 kph) before weakening slightly from a Category 4. The hurricane threatened destructive winds, flash floods, and a dangerous storm surge
Hurricane Erick, initially a Category 4, weakened slightly to a Category 3 before making landfall in Oaxaca, Mexico. Despite the downgrade, this major hurricane still packed winds up to 129 mph (210 kph), posing a significant threat with potential for destructive winds, flash floods, and dangerous storm surge
Hurricane Erick's path narrowly missed Acapulco and Puerto Escondido, instead making landfall between Oaxaca and Guerrero states. The storm's impact was felt most strongly along a sparsely populated coastal region, characterized by agricultural fields and small fishing villages
Hurricane Erick weakens rapidly after making landfall in southern Mexico, expected to dissipate by Friday. The Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, hit near the Oaxaca-Guerrero border, impacting sparsely populated coastal areas. Forecasters predict the storm's dissipation due to interaction with the coastal mountains
Hurricane Erick, a powerful Category 3 storm, made landfall in southern Mexico, bringing destructive winds, flash flooding, and a dangerous storm surge near its landfall point. Forecasters warned of significant impacts from this major hurricane
Acapulco dodged a bullet Thursday morning as Hurricane Erick made landfall. Despite ominous dark clouds blanketing the city at dawn, the resort town experienced only small waves and no rain on its main beach
Hurricane Erick's northwest track brought heavy rain to Acapulco and the surrounding mountains by midday, despite the city initially experiencing calm conditions
Acapulco largely escaped Hurricane Erick's strongest winds, experiencing minimal impact from the Category 3 storm that made landfall in Oaxaca
Hurricane Erick's path shifted southward Wednesday, nearing Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, before making landfall Thursday, June 19, 2025, passing northwest of Acapulco
Hurricane Erick: Mexico's Oaxaca State Under Emergency; Stay Home or Seek Shelter. Following Hurricane Erick's landfall, Mexico City's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a suspension of all activities in affected regions, urging residents of low-lying areas to evacuate to designated shelters or remain indoors
Hurricane Erick's powerful waves slammed Puerto Escondido's esplanade, overwhelming docked fishing boats and inundating beachfront restaurants as the rising tide engulfed the shore
As Hurricane Erick's eye neared landfall, nightfall brought an end to last-minute preparations in Oaxaca, Mexico, as businesses closed and streets emptied
Hurricane Erick's impact on Mexico: While Acapulco Bay remained calm, Puerto Escondido fishermen secured their boats before the storm's arrival. Despite red flags warning of dangerous conditions, some surfers braved the powerful waves at Zicatela beach
Haunted by the memory of Hurricane Otis's destructive power two years prior, Acapulco residents anxiously awaited Hurricane Erick's arrival, preparing for the worst
The city of nearly 1 million was devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort’s hotels.
Guerrero state Gov. Evelyn Salgado said via X that all movement in Acapulco and other beach communities was to be suspended at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Schools across the state were to remain closed for a second day Thursday.
Carlos Ozuna Romero, 51, lost his restaurant at the edge of an Acapulco beach when Otis slammed the resort with devastating winds. On Wednesday, he directed workers storing tables and chairs.
“Authorities’ warnings fill us with fear and obviously make us remember everything we’ve already been through,” Ozuna Romero said in reference to Otis.
Elsewhere, workers nailed sheets of plywood over shop windows and stacked sandbags outside doorways. Cars lined up to fill their tanks and shoppers made last-minute purchases before rushing home.
Verónica Gómez struggled through the streets of Acapulco with a large jug of water. “We’re all afraid because we think the same thing could happen,” said the 40-year-old employee of a shipping company.
But she said she and others learned a lot from Otis. “Now it’s not going to catch us by surprise,” she said, holding out a bag of canned food as evidence.
In Acapulco on Wednesday, there was a strong presence of National Guard and police in the streets, but most visible were trucks from the national power company. Crews worked to clear drainage canals and brush.
Forecasters expected Erick to lash Mexico’s Pacific coast with heavy rain, strong winds and a fierce storm surge. Rains of up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) could fall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states, the center’s advisory said. The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.
Laura Velázquez, Mexico’s national civil defense coordinator, said Erick was forecast to bring “torrential” rains to Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico. The mountainous region along the coast is especially prone to mudslides with numerous rivers at risk of flooding.
Acapulco’s port closed Tuesday evening. Salgado said 582 shelters were set to receive people who might evacuate their homes across Guerrero.
Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick churned through an ideal environment for quick intensification. Last year, there were 34 incidents of rapid intensification — when a storm gains at least 35 mph in 24 hours — which is about twice as many as average and causes problems with forecasting, according to the hurricane center.
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Sánchez reported from Acapulco, Mexico.
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