| October 8, 2008 Hurricane Norbert strengthens, threatens Baja
|
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Hurricane Norbert strengthened Wednesday to a
powerful Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean and was forecast to
hit Mexico's Baja California peninsula by the weekend.
The hurricane was expected to turn toward the northeast over the
next two days on a path that could take it over the southern Baja
peninsula and the Mexican mainland, the U.S. National Hurricane
Center in Miami said.
Norbert's maximum sustained winds were near 125 mph (205 kph),
and it was expected to remain a hurricane for the next two days.
The storm was centered about 460 miles (740 kilometers) south of
the southern tip Baja California, and was moving west-northwest
near 9 mph (15 kph).
Norbert is the seventh hurricane of the east Pacific season.
In Mexico's Gulf coast, Tropical Storm Marco weakened late
Tuesday into a tropical depression after slamming into land with
near hurricane-force winds.
Mexico's state oil company had shutdown of some oil platforms in
the gulf and evacuated some 3,000 people before Marco hit the coast
about 55 miles (90 kilometers) north of Veracruz.
Marco was expected to dissipate overnight as it moved over
Mexico's mountainous terrain, but forecasters said rains of up to 5
inches (13 centimeters) could still unleash mudslides.
Marco appeared to have largely spared water-logged southern
areas of Veracruz state, where rain-swollen rivers jumped their
banks, leaving
the towns of Minatitlan and Hidalgotitlan under 10
feet (3 meters) of water last week.
State authorities closed schools and set up some 200 shelters,
while soldiers and rescue officials bused people from low-lying
communities.
In northern Veracruz state, authorities evacuated a hospital in
the town of Misantla, where two overflowing rivers threatened to
flood it.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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