Mexico: Southern Mexico launched extensive cleanup efforts following the passage of Hurricane Erick, which struck the Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm before rapidly weakening as it moved inland.
In the popular tourist town of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca state, residents and emergency crews worked tirelessly to drain flooded streets and remove debris left in Erick’s wake.
Trees were uprooted, street signs toppled, and boats buried under sand along the shoreline, disrupting daily life in the town of approximately 30,000 inhabitants.
Communications and power were severely affected, leaving much of Puerto Escondido without electricity and cellphone coverage. Despite the damage, no deaths or injuries were reported in Puerto Escondido or elsewhere in the affected areas.
By Thursday, Erick had weakened to a tropical storm as it moved further inland. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued its latest advisory at 10:30 p.m. GMT, predicting the storm would continue to weaken rapidly and likely dissipate by Thursday night.
Huge waves crashing onto the main beach in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, as the coast of Oaxaca braces for the arrival of Category 4 Hurricane Erick…pic.twitter.com/5vL7PMB4Rw
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) June 19, 2025
The NHC also warned of ongoing heavy rains in the nearby state of Guerrero, cautioning about the heightened risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
Mexico routinely faces severe storms during the May-to-November hurricane season along both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Just last October, Hurricane Otis, a devastating Category 5 storm ravaged the Guerrero region, including the major resort city of Acapulco, causing dozens of fatalities.
Similarly, Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm in September of last year, resulted in about 15 deaths. On Thursday, Acapulco remained largely deserted as residents braced for potential impacts. Shops remained boarded up and tourist boats were grounded, reflecting heightened caution after recent traumatic storm experiences.
