![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
. | ![]() |
. |
|
. |
![]()
by Staff Writers Guadalajara, Mexico (AFP) June 21, 2011
Hurricane Beatriz disrupted the start of the summer tourist season on Mexico's Pacific coast, uprooting trees and flooding roads before weakening Tuesday to a tropical storm. The second Pacific hurricane of the season brought high winds and heavy rains to beach resorts from Zihuatanejo to Cabo Corrientes, messing up early summer vacation plans for thousands of tourists. Top winds of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour had died down by Tuesday afternoon to 95 kilometers (60 miles) per hour and Beatriz was forecast to track into the Pacific and fizzle out on Wednesday. "There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect," the US National Hurricane Center in Miami reported. The western state of Jalisco was hardest hit by the storm, with heavy rain recorded in Tomatlan, Cabo Corrientes, La Huerta and Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico's biggest tourist destinations. Local authorities urged caution when driving through Jalisco's mountainous interior roads due to the risk of landslides. Hundreds of shelters set up along the state's 300 kilometers (200 miles) of coastline were not ultimately used, emergency officials said. Neighborhoods near the coast in Huatulco, in Oaxaca state, as well as in the resort city of Acapulco reported flooding. High waves swept a car in Acapulco out to sea, but both occupants of the vehicle managed to escape unharmed, according to local television reports. The 2011 storm season is expected to be worse than usual, US experts have said. Adrian, the first Pacific hurricane of the 2011 season, was downgraded to a tropical storm over a week ago and never made landfall.
|
. |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2011 - Space Media Network. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement |