Hurricane Orlene roars toward Mexico's Pacific coast
Hurricane Orlene is heading toward Mexico’s Pacific coast between the tourist towns of Mazatlan and San Blas, with authorities there suspending classes and setting up shelters
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Orlene roared toward Mexico’s Pacific coast between the tourist towns of Mazatlan and San Blas on Monday, with authorities there suspending classes and setting up shelters.
After growing into a hurricane Saturday, Orlene quickly added power, peaking as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) early Sunday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. But winds slipped back to 105 mph (165 kph) by late Sunday night.
The storm moved over or near the Islas Marias, a former prison colony being developed as a tourist draw. The island is sparsely populated by government employees and buildings there are made of brick or concrete.
Orlene was forecast to hit Mexico's Pacific coast along a sparsely populated, lagoon-dotted stretch of mainland south of Mazatlan by late Monday.
