A family crosses near an avenue flooded by the rains of Hurricane Norma in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, Oct. 21, 2023.Fernando Llano/The Associated Press
Hurricane Norma came ashore near the Pacific resort of Los Cabos at the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula on Saturday afternoon. Hours later, Hurricane Tammy made landfall on the Caribbean island of Barbuda.
The storms were each Category 1 hurricanes when they hit.
There was a threat of heavy rainfall and flash flooding as Norma moved into mainland Mexico early Sunday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami reported at 3 a.m. ET.
Norma was centred about 145 miles (235 kilometres) west of Culiacan, Mexico, and about 105 miles (165 kilometres) south-southwest of Los Mochis, Mexico, moving north-northeast at 7 mph (11 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kmh). The Mexican government extended a tropical storm warning along the coast northward to Huatabampito, the centre said.
Tammy came ashore Saturday night with 85 mph (140 kph) winds. In an update at 5 a.m. ET Sunday, the hurricane centre said the storm was centred about 70 miles (115 kilometres) north-northwest of Barbuda and about 55 miles (90 kilometres) east-northeast of Anguilla.
Tammy was moving north-northwest around 10 mph (17 kmh) and hurricane warnings remained in effect for the islands of Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barthelmy, while a tropical storm warning was discontinued for Saba and St. Eustatius.
Norma, once a Category 4 hurricane, moved ashore with winds of 80 mph (130 kph) near el Pozo de Cota, west-northwest of Cabo San Lucas. The system later weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 kph) winds as it crossed the Baja California Peninsula, the centre said.
Businesses in Cabo San Lucas had nailed plywood over their windows, and government personnel hung banners warning people not to try to cross gullies and stream beds after Norma regained strength and again became a major storm Friday.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that there had been no reported loss of life from the storm by Saturday night.
In Cabo San Lucas, curious tourists began to pick their way along debris-strewn beaches after the storm passed.
Authorities urged people to stay at home Saturday night. There were still families in shelters in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, though officials did not say how many. Around 200 people were in shelters in La Paz.
Its languid pace raised the possibility of severe flooding. Norma was expected to dump six to 12 inches of rain, with a maximum of 18 inches in places across southern Baja California and much of Sinaloa state.
John Cangialosi, a senior specialist at the National Hurricane Center, said the area is vulnerable to rain because it is a dry region generally.
“Six to 12 inches of rain is what is generally forecast, but there could be pockets of up to 18 inches of rain and we do think that will be the most significant impact that could result in flash and urban flooding and mudslides,” he said.
Baja California Sur Gov. Victor Castro said on X that “because it’s moving slowly, greater damages are anticipated.”
But little damage was initially reported. Some trees and power poles were down, but there were no reports of injuries.
Police in San Jose del Cabo rescued two people from their truck when a surging stream swept it away early Saturday. Some informal settlements, away from the hotels that serve tourists, were isolated by rising water. Some neighbourhoods lost electricity and internet service.
The federal government posted 500 marines to the resort area to help with storm preparations.
By late morning, the area’s streets were littered with palm fronds and other debris, and essentially deserted except for occasional military patrols. Strong winds whipped traffic signs, trees and power lines.
Hotels in Los Cabos, which are largely frequented by foreign tourists, remained about three-quarters full and visitors made no major moves to leave en masse, officials said. The local hotel association estimated about 30,000 tourists were in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo on Friday.
Airports were closed but San Jose del Cabo airport director Francisco Villaseñor said he expected flights to resume by midday Sunday.
Tammy hit two weeks after Tropical Storm Phillippe swept by Antigua and Barbuda dumping 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimetres) of rain and plunging both islands into darkness. The slow-moving system was forecast to bring up to 12 inches (30.4 centimetres) over a twin island nation, where the devastation of Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Philippe’s recent wind damage and flooding were still fresh memories.
“This means therefore, that the earth is still somewhat saturated and with additional rainfall, the potential for flooding is elevated,” Prime Minister Gaston Browne said in a nationwide broadcast Friday. He urged residents to take all necessary steps to secure life and property.
Government offices, banks and most nonretail businesses closed early on Friday to allow staff to prepare. Residents rushed to stock up on necessities, causing gridlock throughout St John’s and near popular shopping centres and supermarkets.
Local disaster management officials announced plans to open about 40 shelters in communities throughout the country.
Associated Press writer Anika Kentish in St. John’s, Antigua, contributed to this report.