Hurricane Polo fuels fears of landslides and flooding in Mexico's southwest

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Southwestern Mexico braced for coastal flooding and mudslides Wednesday after Polo, a powerful Pacific cyclone, became a major hurricane. Forecasters also warned that Hawaii could face another onslaught of harsh weather later in the week.

Hurricane Polo, an “extremely dangerous” storm, is expected to skirt Mexico’s Guerrero state, submerging coastal areas with 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Guerrero has been repeatedly pummeled by hurricanes in recent years.

Hurricane Polo was not expected to make landfall, meteorologists and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. Tropical storm conditions including torrential rain and extraordinary wind were also expected along the Pacific coast of Michoacan and Colima states through Thursday.

Rain and strong winds began to pummel the coastline on Wednesday afternoon with waves crashing onto the normally pristine beaches.

At its peak, Polo was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 kph). It was a Category 4 by Wednesday afternoon, but still packing sustained winds of up to 145 mph (230 kph).

“Fluctuations in intensity are expected, but Polo is expected to remain a very powerful major hurricane during the next few days,” the hurricane center said.

Waves, flooding and mudslides are all risks

Concepción López Villegas was busily bolstering her seaside restaurant in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, against the expected onslaught of rain. Strong waves were already hitting some beaches and López Villegas said she feared the storm could destroy the small business she worked decades to build.

“We’re worried and trying to protect our businesses,” López Villegas said. “And of course, we’re sad because it’s our heritage, our legacy that from one moment to another could be destroyed.”

The hurricane center warned Polo could drop several inches of rain on the region through Thursday, and that the deluge may cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides in particular in Guerrero.

The region most under threat from the hurricane is rural and mountainous, scattered with a few small tourist towns and ports. Much of the area is market by poverty and residents routinely complain authorities abandon them to fend for themselves during natural disasters.

Mexico’s government has called for evacuations in some areas and set up shelters for those impacted. Thousands of Navy, Security and Red Cross personnel have been deployed to the region as a preventative measure.

El Nino fueled rapid intensification

Polo was named the third Category 5 hurricane of the Pacific season on Tuesday, following Genevieve and Lowell earlier this year. Although the hurricane weakened somewhat on Wednesday, its force still presented significant risks.

Polo was 150 miles (240 kilometers) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo and 275 miles (445 kilometers) south-southeast of Manzanillo on Wednesday afternoon, the hurricane center reported. Hurricane-force winds can extend up to 40 miles (65 kilometers) from the storm’s center while areas up to 105 miles (170 kilometers) from the eye will be hit by tropical storm-force winds, meteorologists said.

The rapid intensification of Hurricane Polo this week stunned scientists and authorities alike.

Philip Klotzbach, research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, attributed the intensification to the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, which has fueled crippling droughts in Mexico and Central America and floods elsewhere.

In the Pacific, it has resulted in warmer waters and wind patterns that act as fodder for hurricanes, he said.

“There are all the ingredients that hurricanes need to get really strong really fast,” Klotzbach said.

Hawaii could face another hurricane as soon as Friday

A tropical depression about 525 miles (845 kilometers) south-southeast of Hawaii's capital, Honolulu, could be a tropical storm by the end of the day and a hurricane by Thursday.

The hurricane center advised the island chain to monitor the system, which was projected to drop 15 to 20 inches (38 to 51 centimeters) of rain on Big Island, raising the possibility of flooding and mudslides.

The center of the cyclone was expected to close in on the islands by Friday or Saturday.

While wind and rain were mainly expected on Maui and Big Island, Kauai’s electric cooperative urged residents to prepare for “the possibility of prolonged power outages,” and to store non-perishable food and potable water.

Over 100 Kauai households still remain without power from Hurricane Lowell, which passed west of the island on Sept. 7.

Hawaiian Electric, the state’s primary utility, said crews would return to at-risk areas to help residents prepare for the coming storm.

Odalys strengthens into a hurricane

Hurricane Odalys, also in the Pacific, strengthened on Wednesday, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph). It churned about 1,265 miles (2,040 kilometers) west-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula and was not at risk of making landfall, according to the hurricane center.

An advisory said Odalys could increase in strength over the next couple of days but would likely weaken by the end of the week.

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