Grace makes landfall in Mexico as major hurricane
AFP — Hurricane Grace slammed into Mexico for a second time early Saturday as a major Category Three storm, threatening to bring significant flooding and mudslides, US forecasters said.
The storm made landfall near Tecolutla in Veracruz state, clocking maximum sustained winds of 125 miles (200 kilometers) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
A hurricane warning was in effect for coastline stretching from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo.
Nearly 8,000 civil defense members, soldiers and electricity board workers were ready to tackle the aftermath of the storm, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote on Twitter.
Highways closed
Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia warned of the risk of flooding and mudslides as the storm dumped heavy rain on the mountainous region.
Authorities closed most highways in Veracruz, which is crossed by numerous rivers.
“We will spend many days without fishing — almost a week,” said Isabel Pastrana Vazquez, head of Veracruz’s federation of fisheries cooperatives.
Dangerous storm surge
A “dangerous storm surge” would be accompanied by “large and destructive waves” near the coast, it said.
The storm first struck near the town of Tulum, famed for its Mayan temples, drenching a string of Caribbean beach resorts.
It then churned across the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength as it headed for the mainland.
