Hurricane Paula is spinningtoward the Mexican resort towns of Cozumel and Cancun, threatening to pelt the
tourist-heavy Yucatan Peninsula with winds and heavy rain for the next two days,
reported the National Hurricane Center on Tuesday.
The storm has forced Mexican authorities to put hurricane warnings in place from
Chetumal to Punta Gruesa and from Cabo Catoche to San Felipe.
Authorities in Quintana Roo, a Mexican state that includes many resort towns
like Cancun and Playa del Carmen, have told resident to stay on alert for winds
and possible flooding. Residents were also warned to beware of large waves that
will be accompanying the surge.
Forecasters are predicting that the storm will reach the Mexican coast by the
end of the day, and that the storm may gain strength as it nears the coastline.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Paula is currently estimated to have
maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and could produce 8 to 15 inches of
rain over the Yucatan Peninsula and parts of Cuba.
Heavy rains could cause flash flooding and mudslides in these areas. The
mountainous areas of Nicaragua and Honduras are also at risk of flooding.
Currently, Paula is located
155 miles south-southeast of Cozumel and traveling north-northwest at 10 miles
per hour. The storm will pass the east coast toward Cuba tomorrow, but will not
disrupt the oil-laced areas of the Gulf of Mexico.
Paula is just the latest in a series of tropical storms and hurricanes to hit an
already weakened Mexican tourism industry.
Only last month, Tropical Storm Matthew brought rainclouds to parts of southern
Mexico. Before that Tropical Storm Karl drench the Yucatan Peninsula, coming
ashore south of Cancun. Karl later strengthened into a hurricane and hit
mainland Mexico near Veracruz.
Earlier in the year, Hurricane Alex and Tropical Storm Agatha also hit Mexican
cities. At least 300 people from several Central American nations have died from
this year’s storms, according to reports.
By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.
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