The large cyclone gained strength throughout the day as it churned across the Gulf of Mexico, where oil clean-up operations to the north of the storm track were disrupted due to rough weather.

It hit the Mexican coast at 0200 GMT Thursday about 40 miles (64 kilometers) north of the town of La Pesca, with winds up to 105 miles (169 kilometers) per hour.

Hurricane Alex strengthens to Category Two
La Carbonera, Mexico (AFP) June 30, 2010 - The first Atlantic hurricane of the year strengthened to a Category Two on Wednesday, as residents of the Mexican Gulf coast and south Texas braced for it to make landfall.

Hurricane Alex rose one notch on the five-level Saffir-Simpson scale late Wednesday, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said, after Mexico evacuated hundreds of people from fishing towns south of the US border.

Alex has already disrupted oil clean-up operations off the coast of Lousiana, and US President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Texas late Tuesday.

Giant waves and strong winds were expected around the US-Mexico border as the storm churned westwards through the Gulf of Mexico, packing winds near 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour, according to the latest NHC report.

Obama requested federal aid for relief operations after a hurricane warning was issued for southeast Texas and northeast Mexico.

Texas Governor Rick Perry issued his own state disaster proclamation for 19 counties.

Mexican authorities have already reported one storm-related death.

They evacuated some 2,000 inhabitants near the beach in the town of La Carbonera, close to where the storm was expected to hit overnight Wednesday.

Further north in the city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas, the edge of the storm already brought torrential rain which flooded streets.

Alex was some 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of La Pesca, Mexico and 105 miles (170 kilometers) south southeast of Brownsville, Texas, at 2100 GMT, according to the NHC.

The storm was well southwest of the area worst hit by the massive BP oil spill -- the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida -- though its strong winds have already caused problems for the cleanup effort.

It was not forecast to turn towards the spill, but severe winds have churned up waves that halted some cleanup operations and threatened to push more of the huge slick onto shore.

The NHC has warned that heavy rains could cause life-threatening flash floods, mud slides, and that ocean water could penetrate inland for several miles.

Tornadoes were possible over southern Texas on Wednesday, the NHC added.

Alex is the first Atlantic hurricane to form this early, in June, since 1995, according to the NHC.

Alex has already killed at least 10 people in Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador over the weekend.

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