From a simple storm John has transformed into a hurricane and has hit the southern Pacific coast of Mexico. The strength recorded is three on a scale of five.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, John struck near Marquelia in the state of Guerrero with winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour. The hurricane is expected to continue moving, bringing heavy rain to coastal areas of southwestern Mexico.
“These heavy rains will likely cause significant and potentially life-threatening flooding” in the southern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero, the agency warned.
The measures adopted
Damage control measures are already underway: authorities in Oaxaca, as well as those in Guerrero, say they have opened temporary shelters, suspended flights, closed beaches and mobilized machinery in case it becomes necessary to clear roads.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education of the Mexican state of Guerrero has reported that today, following the arrival of the hurricane, in-person teaching and administrative activities will be suspended in all public and private schools in the region.
State Governor Evelyn Salgado issued a statement saying, “We remain very vigilant about the impacts of Hurricane John. We ask the population to continue to take extreme precautions.” John is the second hurricane to hit Guerrero in less than a year, following Otis’s arrival on October 25, 2023 as a Category 5.