Deadly Hurricane Lidia becomes one of Mexico’s strongest landfalling Pacific hurricanes

According to officials, one man was killed in Nayarit after a tree fell onto his vehicle due to the strong winds, and another person died while trying to cross a river in Jalisco. Two other people were also injured in Jalisco, according to officials.

At least two people were killed by Hurricane Lidia after the monstrous storm slammed into Mexico late Tuesday south of the popular resort town of Puerto Vallarta as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph.

According to officials, one man was killed in Nayarit after a tree fell onto his vehicle due to the strong winds, and another person died while trying to cross a river in Jalisco. Two other people were also injured in Jalisco, according to officials.

Hurricane Lidia was ripped apart by Mexico’s mountainous landscape and dissipated Wednesday morning just hours after it made landfall. Forecasters said heavy rain and gusty winds will continue to threaten the region Wednesday leading to a risk of flash flooding and mudslides.

Scenes from Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit showed palm trees bending almost in half due to the destructive winds as heavy rain pelted the region while the storm was making landfall.

According to Reuters, officials in Nayarit were busy working to clear trees and debris from roadways. More than 100 people sought safety in shelters as the storm battered the area.

Lidia struggled for days to reach hurricane status as it approached the west-central coastline of Mexico and finally became a Category 1 hurricane Monday night.

The storm then rapidly intensified throughout the day Tuesday and reached Category 4 status just before landfall south of Puerto Vallarta near Las Penitas in Jalisco.

The Category 4 hurricane was the strongest cyclone to impact Mexico since Hurricane Patricia in 2015 produced winds around 150 mph. Lidia is now the country’s third strongest landfalling Pacific hurricane on record.

Storm surge led to several feet of inundation of coastal communities.

The National Hurricane Center said the remnants of Lidia could produce an additional 2-4 inches of rain across portions of western Mexico throughout the day, bringing the storm total amounts to 12 inches in some areas.

According to Mexico’s National Meteorological Service, gusty winds will continue along the coast. Waves of up to 10 feet can occur along the coast of Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco and Michoacan.

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