Overview

• Erick made landfall just east of Punta Maldonado early Thursday with sustained winds of 125 mph after briefly peaking at Category 4 offshore.
• The hurricane doubled its strength in under 24 hours, underscoring challenges in predicting rapid intensification.
• Up to 16 inches of rain are forecast for Oaxaca and Guerrero, where steep terrain heightens the threat of life-threatening floods and mudslides.
• Mexican officials evacuated tourists from Acapulco and Puerto Escondido, opened over 2,000 shelters and deployed National Guard and civil defense crews.
• Erick is expected to weaken swiftly over southern Mexico’s coastal mountains and dissipate by late Thursday or early Friday, though flood risks will persist inland.