Mexicans brace for Hurricane Polo

Southwestern Mexico braced for coastal flooding and mudslides yesterday 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 four to six inches (10 to 15 centimetres) of rain today, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Guerrero has been repeatedly pummelled by hurricanes in recent years.

Hurricane Polo was not expected to make landfall, according to meteorologists and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Tropical storm conditions including torrential rain and extraordinary wind were also expected along the Pacific coast of Michoacan and Colima states. Rain and strong winds began to pummel the coastline yesterday, 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 centre said.

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 centre 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 marked 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 personnel, including from the Red Cross, have been deployed to the region as a preventative measure.

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.