Hurricane John Strikes Mexico’s Southern Pacific Coast
Hurricane John made landfall on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, hitting near Punta Maldonado in Guerrero state. Rapidly intensifying into a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 190km/h (120mph), John caught authorities off guard, prompting warnings of “life-threatening” storm surges and flash floods.
Last year, the same region was devastated by Hurricane Otis, which ravaged Acapulco and killed 47 people. With climate conditions contributing to more frequent rapid intensification of hurricanes, the unexpected strength of storms like John has become increasingly common.
As residents in coastal cities evacuated and classes were suspended, concerns grew over the potential for John to cause prolonged damage. The government, criticized for its slow response to Otis, has vowed to improve early alert systems to better prepare for future disasters.
The impact of Hurricane John, coupled with another potential hurricane developing on Mexico’s Gulf coast, underscores the urgent need for effective and efficient disaster response measures in the face of increasingly severe weather events.