By Emily Green
MEXICO CITY, Sept 27 (Reuters) – Forecasters said Hurricane Polo, which has weakened to a Category 3 storm, is expected to make landfall on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur on Monday night, bringing sustained winds of 60 to 80 mph (100 to 130 km/h) and heavy rain to the popular tourist destination.
As of Sunday evening, the hurricane was about 200 miles (320 km) off the Baja California coast, moving north-northwest at 12 mph (19 km/h) with sustained winds of 125 mph (200 km/h), according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Private forecaster AccuWeather said Polo is expected to gradually weaken before making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane, but could still topple trees and power lines and inflict structural damage.
Heavy rain, high surf and strong winds have already prompted evacuations, port closures and school cancellations along Mexico’s Pacific coast.
Two minors died and their parents remain missing after their home was swept downstream in the state of Jalisco on the country’s Pacific coast, according to the state Civil Protection and Fire Department.
In the resort city of San Jose del Cabo, authorities restricted access to beaches as the storm churned up large waves and dangerous surf.
Polo is forecast to dump 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) of rain across Baja California, with maximum amounts of 12 inches (30 cm) across Baja California Sur, raising the risk of life-threatening flooding and mudslides, before crossing the Gulf of California and moving into the northern states of Sonora and Chihuahua.
The rainfall could produce “life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain,” the US National Hurricane Center warned.
Mexico’s Navy and Defense Ministry have deployed around 7,000 personnel to Baja California Sur and opened 169 facilities for use as temporary shelters.
(Reporting by Emily Green; Editing by Nia Williams and Lincoln Feast.)
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