Hurricane Simon batters Mexico's Pacific Coast

Hurricane Simon, now a Category 3 storm, approached Mexico's Pacific coast, causing flooding and strong winds. Located 175km west-northwest of Manzanillo, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 205kph. Forecasters predicted additional weakening but expected it to remain a strong hurricane as it neared the coast. Simon moved northwest at 7kph, with further offshore movement anticipated before turning back toward Mexico's coast on Wednesday.

In Manzanillo, residents waded through flooded streets as soldiers assisted families in removing water from their homes. The storm was expected to bring 50mm to 100mm of rain to Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, and Sinaloa, with total rainfall potentially reaching 762mm in parts of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco. This raised concerns of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in mountainous areas.

Mexican authorities placed 28 municipalities under the highest cyclone alert level, while another 93 were under high alert. Puerto Vallarta International Airport temporarily closed, and non-essential activities were suspended as emergency shelters were opened in threatened coastal communities. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents to remain indoors as the storm approached.

The hurricane followed Hurricane Polo, which had struck Mexico's Baja California Peninsula two days prior.