Hurricane Agatha makes landfall in the Mexican state of Oaxaca with winds of 105 mph | World News
The 105mph storm became the strongest hurricane ever to make landfall in May in the eastern Pacific.
Hurricane Agatha made landfall on the coast of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca on Monday afternoon, bringing torrential rain, rough seas and forcing people to take shelter.
It strikes a sparsely populated area of beach towns and fishing villages.
Two highways were also blocked as mud and rocks slid down the road, blocking access to an area of the state. Some towns also lost power and phone lines were down, forcing authorities to communicate via radio.
The Category Two storm lost power as it moved inland and as of Monday evening had been reclassified as a tropical storm with winds of about 70 mph.
The worst of the weather will dissipate overnight, but heavy rain remains a threat, according to the US National Hurricane Center, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
This image shows Agatha off the coast of Oaxaca on Monday. Photo: NOAA / AP
10 to 16 inches (25-41 cm) are expected in Oaxaca, with torrential downpours forecast in neighboring states such as Chiapas, Veracruz, Tabasco and eastern Guerrero.
Jeff Masters, a meteorologist with Yale Climate Connections, said Agatha was the strongest storm to make landfall in the area in May.
“Since the African monsoon usually doesn’t start generating tropical waves until early or mid-May, there simply isn’t enough initial disturbance to cause more storms east of the Pacific,” said Mr. Duong in May”.
“In addition, water temperatures in May are cooler than at the height of the season, and wind shear is generally higher.”
