Genevieve approaches Mexico’s Baja as Category 3 hurricane
Posted August 18, 2020 9:03 pm.
Last Updated August 18, 2020 9:18 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CABO SAN LUCAS, Mexico — Powerful Hurricane Genevieve approached Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, threatening to bring tropical storm force winds to parts of the area even if its centre wasn’t likely to hit land.
The Category 3 storm is expected to pass near the southern portion of the peninsula on Wednesday night and Thursday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
“There’s nothing for left for us to do, but take the boat to a safe place,” said Elio López as he pulled his small boat out of the water in Cabo San Lucas ahead of the storm’s arrival. Officials had already closed the port.
The hurricane centre said Genevieve had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) Tuesday night and was centred about 240 miles (390 kilometres) south-southeast of the southern tip of the Baja peninsula. It was moving to the northwest at 10 mph (17 kph).
More than 10,000 families live in flood-prone informal settlements in homes of wood and cardboard in Cabo San Lucas, areas that usually have to be evacuated when storms approach.
In one such neighbourhood, El Caribe, residents appeared calm Tuesday. “They haven’t told us anything, but if there’s strong wind it’s going to take the roof off the house,” said Flor Juárez, who moved to the area three years from the southern state of Guerrero.
Along the tourist areas in Cabo San Lucas, the streets were semi-empty, but it has been that way for some time. Most of the tourist-oriented businesses remain closed due to the pandemic.
A tropical storm warning was in effect for the peninsula from Los Barriles to Puerto Cortes.
Los Cabos municipal civil defence director Erick Santillán said as the storm neared that officials would decide whether to open shelters. “It’s not going to hit us, but it will give us water and strong winds,” he said. “We’re already making preparations.”
The storm was expected to spread 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10 centimetres) of water over parts of Baja California Sur state as it advances roughly parallel to the coast.
Ignacio MartíNez De JesúS, The Associated Press
