Hurricane 'Ágatha' makes landfall as a category two in Oaxaca, Mexico

MADRID, 31 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA) has reported this Monday that the hurricane 'Agatha' has made landfall as a category in the vicinity of the town of La Redonda, municipality of San Pedro Pochutla in Oaxaca.

"The center of hurricane 'Agatha', category two on the Saffir-Simpson scale, has made landfall in the town of La Redonda, municipality of San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, at approximately 3:30 p.m. (local time)," CONAGUA published in a press release.

CONAGUA has also warned that the rains that 'Ágatha' will bring could cause landslides, overflowing of rivers and streams and floods.

This is the strongest hurricane that has made landfall in a month of May in the records of the Eastern Pacific, said Yale Climate Connections meteorologist and founder of 'Weather Underground', Jeff Masters, as reported by 'El Universal' .

Masters has indicated that hurricanes in the region usually have their origin in tropical waves that come off the coast of Africa.

"Since the African monsoon doesn't typically start producing tropical waves until early to mid-May, there simply aren't enough initial disturbances to have many hurricanes in the eastern Pacific in May," Masters said in an email, adding that "in addition , water temperatures in May are cooler than at the peak of the season."

The Civil Protection Agency of the state of Oaxaca has shown images of families getting into a shelter in Pochutla, and a rock and mud slide that has blocked the highway between that city and the state capital.

'Ágatha' has made landfall about eight kilometers west of Puerto Ángel as a category two storm, with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (105 mph). It is moving northeast at 8 mph (13 km/h).

The national emergency authorities have reported that there is a working group of more than 9,300 people to assist the area and that more than 200 shelters have been opened while meteorologists have warned of dangerous cyclones and floods due to heavy rains.

In the town of Huatulco, municipal authorities have canceled school classes and ordered the closure of all beaches and its seven bays, many of which can only be reached by boat.

The US National Hurricane Center said the storm was expected to drop 10 to 16 inches (25 to 40 centimeters) of rain in parts of Oaxaca, with isolated highs of 20 inches (50 centimeters), posing the threat of flash floods and landslides.

The Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN) put the coastal strip between Salina Cruz and Lagunas de Chacahua, in Oaxaca, on alert. In addition, a hurricane surveillance zone was declared from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, to Barra de Tonalá, in Chiapas, and a tropical storm prevention zone from Lagunas de Chacahua, Oaxaca, to Punta Maldonado, Guerrero, and from Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, to Mouth of Pijijiapan, in Chiapas.

Shelters were also prepared to welcome the population in towns such as San Juan Lachao, with seven locations ready to serve 1,150 people. In Santa Catarina, nine shelters were set up to serve 1,420 people. There are also shelters in Candelaria Loxicha, San Juan Quiahije, Santa María Colotepec, Santa María Tonameca, San Pedro Mixtepec, Bahías de Huatulco, Tututepec, Pluma Hidalgo and San Pedro Pochutla.