By Alberto Fajardo and Daniel Becerril
MANZANILLO, Mexico, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Hurricane Simon crept northwest just off Mexico’s Pacific coast early on Monday, lashing western states with dangerous winds, heavy rain and flooding that put riverside communities on alert for possible evacuations.
The US National Hurricane Center said Simon was about 50 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes in Jalisco state at 5 a.m. local time (1200 GMT), packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), making it a Category 3 hurricane.
The hurricane was moving northwest at just 2 mph (4 kph) and was expected to continue along that track before turning northeast and moving inland across west-central Mexico around midweek.
Authorities said that Simon could bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides to parts of the Pacific coast and nearby mountains.
The hurricane is forecast to dump an additional 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of rain across coastal areas of southwest and west-central Mexico, with isolated amounts of 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in parts of Jalisco and Sinaloa. The National Hurricane Center said isolated storm totals could reach 30 inches (76 cm) in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.
In the town of Cihuatlan, in Jalisco near the border with Colima, rising water levels in the Marabasco River prompted patrols by the Mexican Army, Civil Protection officials and the Red Cross. Floodwater inundated streets and low-lying areas of the town overnight.
In the port city of Manzanillo, in Colima state, residents waded through flooded homes and streets as navy personnel helped remove water.
“Everything got flooded,” said resident Maria Elena Vazquez from inside her home, pants rolled up as the water came up to her ankles.
The National Hurricane Center said that a dangerous storm surge is expected near and east of where Simon approaches the coast, accompanied by large destructive waves. Swells from the hurricane are also forecast to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along southwestern and west-central Mexico over the next few days.
Simon had weakened from a stronger Category 4 system, but forecasters said it is likely to remain a hurricane through midweek before rapidly losing strength after moving inland over Mexico’s mountainous terrain.
(Reporting by Alberto Fajardo and Daniel Becerril in Manzanillo, Mexico; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Will Dunham)
