Hurricane Willa threatens the Mexican Pacific coast in the form of a Category 4 storm: latest information on trajectory, trajectories and weather conditions – Latest news

MEXICO – Authorities rushed to evacuate low-lying areas and erect shelters as an "extremely dangerous" hurricane Willa, with sustained maximum winds of 130 mph surfing beaches and fishing villages.

Willa briefly reached Category 5 on Monday, then weakened slightly to return to Category 4. But the National Hurricane Center warned that it was still likely to cause "a storm surge, wind and life-threatening rainfall "in parts of west-central and southwestern Mexico.

"If a gradual weakening is expected today, Willa is expected to be a major dangerous hurricane when it reaches the Mexican coast.A fast weakening is expected after the landing tonight and Wednesday," he said. announced the hurricane center.

Workers have glued windows in hotels and the authorities have ordered the closure of schools in a low region where the cities are located in the middle of agricultural land nestled between the sea and the lagoons. An "extraordinary emergency" decree has been issued for 19 municipalities in the states of Nayarit and Sinaloa, the Federal Department of the Interior has announced.

According to officials, 7,000 to 8,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying areas, mainly in the state of Sinaloa.

The hurricane was to first pass over or near the Islas Marias, a group of islands located about 60 km offshore, which include a nature reserve and a federal prison. Forecasters have said that Willa would be thrown to land somewhere over 140 km from the seaside town of Mazatlan to San Blas.

Enrique Moreno, Mayor of Escuinapa, a municipality of about 60,000 inhabitants located on the potential Willa Trail, said officials were trying to eliminate everyone in the seaside village of Teacapan. He estimated that 3,000 people were affected, but he expected some people to try to stay.

"People do not want to evacuate, but it's for their safety," he said.

About 60 km from the coast, in Mazatlan, with a population of about 500,000 in the metropolitan area, Mayor Jose Joel Boucieguez said officials had prepared shelters and kept a close eye on low-lying areas. Mazatlan is a popular resort and is home to many American and Canadian expats.

At 8 am ET, Willa was centered about 55 miles west-southwest of the Marias Islands and 150 miles south-southwest of Mazatlan. It was moving north at 5 mph.

The force of hurricane winds extended to 35 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical storm winds blew up to 125 miles.

The hurricane center warned that Willa could bring rain to parts of the states of Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa, with possible floods and landslides in some mountainous areas.