Overview

• Erick made landfall early Thursday near Punta Maldonado in Oaxaca with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph as a Category 3 hurricane.
• The system exploded from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 24 hours, becoming the earliest major hurricane on record to strike Mexico before July.
• Forecasters warn that heavy rain, a life-threatening storm surge and the storm’s sluggish pace will trigger flooding and mudslides in steep coastal terrain.
• Mexican authorities have opened over 2,000 shelters across Oaxaca, Guerrero and Chiapas and evacuated residents from low-lying areas.
• Erick is weakening as it moves into the mountains and is expected to dissipate by Friday, but its rain bands will continue to drench the region.