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Hurricane batters Western Mexico | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Hurricane Norbert has struck Mexico's Baja California Sur peninsula with heavy rains and 103mph (165km/h) winds. | Hurricane Norbert has struck Mexico's Baja California Sur peninsula with heavy rains and 103mph (165km/h) winds. |
The Category 2 hurricane made landfall near the city of La Paz, blowing down roofs and uptrooting trees. Residents have been fleeing to shelters. | |
Forecasters say Norbert will cross the Gulf of California, before making a second landfall on Mexico's north-western mainland. | |
It is expected to hit the agricultural states of Sonora and Sinaloa. | |
Reports say the storm is creating 13ft (4m) waves. | |
People evacuated | People evacuated |
Baja California Sur's civil protection chief, Jose Gajon, said about 1,000 people were in shelters and more were expected. | |
"If it is necessary, we will use authorities to take to shelters those who refuse to go," he added. | |
Rescue teams have already evacuated people from homes made from wooden boards and sheet metal in low-lying areas. | Rescue teams have already evacuated people from homes made from wooden boards and sheet metal in low-lying areas. |
The wind uprooted palm trees and water rose knee-high in some streets of the town of Puerto San Carlos. | |
"We left our house because we were scared. Our house is pretty poor and the water was already coming in," said Maria Espinosa, 54, who arrived at a school with her daughter and two grandchildren. | |
Norbert is not expected to strengthen significantly as it crosses the Gulf of California, the US National Hurricane Center said. | |
It is forecast to weaken once it moves into north-western Mexico on a path towards Arizona. | |
Earlier, meteorologists downgraded Hurricane Norbert from Category 3 to 2 but said it remained "life-threatening". | |