Tourists and residents are returning to Mexico’s Baja California after Hurricane Jimena has passed with less-than-anticipated damage. The storm’s centre missed the peninsula’s tourism heartland on the southern tip, but still brought heavy rain and winds of 100km/h (65mph) as well as widespread flooding.
The main tourism facilities in the Los Cabos region (including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo) were left unscathed and tourists are now reported to be returned.
The US National Hurricane Center has warned that up to 38cm of rain could still be expected in some areas of western Mexico over the next 48 hours, producing “life-threatening flash floods and mud slides”.
The storm is forecast to weaken further as it travels north before heading out to the Pacific Ocean by late today.
Two of Baja California’s three international airports have now re-opened along with some shops and businesses.
More than 11,000 people took refuge in shelters, the federal government said.
In the fishing village of Puerto San Carlos, roofs were blown off buildings, power and communication lines went down, trees felled and streets turned.
“Seventy-five percent of homes have been affected,” town official Humberto Arias told AFP news agency.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The US National Hurricane Center has warned that up to 38cm of rain could still be expected in some areas of western Mexico over the next 48 hours, producing “life-threatening flash floods and mud slides”.
- The main tourism facilities in the Los Cabos region (including Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo) were left unscathed and tourists are now reported to be returned.
- The storm's centre missed the peninsula's tourism heartland on the southern tip, but still brought heavy rain and winds of 100km/h (65mph) as well as widespread flooding.
