Cayman Islands Hurricane "John" hits Mexico's Pacific coast

The strong hurricane "John" is raging on Mexico's Pacific coast. The tropical cyclone reached the mainland with wind speeds of up to 195 kilometers per hour near the municipality of Marquelia in the state of Guerrero, according to the US hurricane center (NHC). Devastating winds, life-threatening storm surges, sudden flooding and heavy rainfall are to be expected.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called on residents in the affected areas to seek safety. "Seek shelter and remember that the most important thing is life," he posted on the X platform. Among other things, the civil protection authority advised people to stay away from windows. School classes were partially suspended in the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca due to the weather conditions.

On Monday, "John" was upgraded from a tropical storm to a category three hurricane out of a maximum of five on the hurricane wind scale. The hurricane is the first of this year's season to make landfall in the Pacific. Previously, "Carlotta" and "Gilma" had moved over the sea far from the coast.

At the same time, another hurricane is developing in the Atlantic south of the Cayman Islands. The system will gain strength over the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to reach the south coast of the USA as a strong hurricane on Thursday, according to the NHC.

Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. According to experts, increasing global warming increases the likelihood of strong storms. The hurricane season begins in the Pacific on May 15 and in the Atlantic on June 1. It officially lasts until November 30 in both regions.

SDA