Hurricane John has hit Mexico – major damage is feared

It made landfall on Monday evening near Marquelia in the state of Guerrero in southern Mexico, according to the US hurricane center NHC. It then had wind speeds of up to 54 meters per second.

The NHC previously reported that John “rapidly strengthened” and became a Category 3 hurricane in the hours before it made landfall.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urges Mexicans to take care of themselves.

– Try to get higher, protect yourself and don’t forget that life is the most important thing, material things can be replaced, writes López Obrador on X.

The meteorologists expected that John would first hit the beach village of Punta Maldondo, and that the tourist towns of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido would also be hit hard, before it loses strength and moves inland.

The NHC warned that “life-threatening” storm surges were already ravaging the coast near the Oaxaca region before the hurricane made landfall. The unexpected strengthening of the hurricane surprises both scientists, authorities and residents in the area.

In the coastal towns of Oaxaca, the mood was tense after the news of the intensification. Residents have been urged by the authorities to evacuate their homes and seek refuge in refuge centers to protect their lives.