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CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico – (AP) – Hurricane Olaf slammed into the Los Cabos beach region on Thursday at the tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula as authorities closed ports, prepared shelters temporary and urging people to watch public announcements.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Olaf’s Eye was close to landing in San Jose del Cabo on Thursday evening and hurricane conditions were spreading across southern Baja California Sur.
The ports of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo were closed to maritime traffic as tour operators moved boats from Cabo San Lucas to safer moorings. Businesses have boarded up windows and people have lined up for last minute purchases at supermarkets.
Beach resorts would normally be full of tourists this time of year, but with the COVID-19 pandemic, hotels were way below that.
Lilzi Orcí, president of the Los Cabos Hotels Association, said 37 domestic and international airline flights have already been canceled due to the hurricane. She estimated that 20,000 foreign tourists were in the region, less than 40% of the capacity of hotels. Customers would take shelter in their hotels, she said.
As the rain fell, authorities patrolled the flood-prone working-class neighborhoods, urging residents to take refuge in shelters.
The hurricane was centered about 20 miles (35 kilometers) east-northeast of Cabo San Lucas late Thursday evening with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km / h). It was moving north-northwest at 12 mph (19 km / h).
The Hurricane Center said Olaf could strengthen himself further before reaching the coast.
Hurricane-force winds extended up to 35 miles (55 kilometers) from the center and tropical storm winds up to 105 miles (165 kilometers).
The hurricane was expected to bring 5 to 10 inches (12.7 to 25.4 centimeters) of rain to the southern part of the peninsula, with up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) in isolated locations, creating a flood hazard sudden and mudslides.
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