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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.

By Steven Yablonski , Andrew Wulfeck Source FOX Weather

Powerful Hurricane Lidia makes landfall south of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico

At least one person was killed as powerful Hurricane Lidia made landfall along Mexico's coast as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph.

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.

Hurricane Lidia made landfall near Las Penitas, Mexico, on Tuesday, October 10, 2023. (FOX Weather)

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.

Watch: Hurricane Lidia slams Puerto Vallarta with destructive winds, torrential rain

Hurricane Lidia made landfall in Mexico on Tuesday night and video from Puerto Vallarta shows the storm bringing destructive winds and torrential rain to the region.

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 strongest landfalling Pacific hurricanes. (FOX Weather)

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.

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Storm damage from Lidia in the Mexican state of Jalisco.  (@EnriqueAlfaroR / X)

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Storm damage from Lidia in the Mexican state of Jalisco.  (@EnriqueAlfaroR / X)

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Storm damage from Lidia in the Mexican state of Jalisco.  (@EnriqueAlfaroR / X)

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Shopkeepers take precautions by protecting store entrances with sandbags in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico, on October 10, 2023, ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Lidia to Mexico's Pacific coast. 'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Lidia makes landfall in Mexico according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC). Hurricane Lidia became an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm on Tuesday as it headed toward beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said. (Photo by Ulises RUIZ / AFP) (Photo by ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

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TOPSHOT - A man takes pictures under a beach lifeguard watch hut in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico, on October 10, 2023, as Hurricane Lidia came ashore near this popular beach resort in the Mexican Pacific coast. Hurricane Lidia made landfall Tuesday on Mexico's Pacific coast as an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said earlier that civil protection personnel were on alert and around 6,000 members of the armed forces had been deployed to help residents. (Photo by Ulises RUIZ / AFP) (Photo by ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

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Shopkeepers take precautions by protecting store entrances with sandbags in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico, on October 10, 2023, hours before Hurricane Lidia is expected to reach Mexico's Pacific coast. Hurricane Lidia strengthened to a major Category 3 storm on Tuesday as it headed toward beach resorts on Mexico's Pacific coast, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said. (Photo by ULISES RUIZ / AFP) (Photo by ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

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TOPSHOT - Palm trees withstand the wind in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico, on October 10, 2023, as Hurricane Lidia came ashore near this popular beach resort in the Mexican Pacific coast. Hurricane Lidia made landfall Tuesday on Mexico's Pacific coast as an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 storm, threatening to bring flooding and mudslides, forecasters said. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said earlier that civil protection personnel were on alert and around 6,000 members of the armed forces had been deployed to help residents. (Photo by Ulises RUIZ / AFP) (Photo by ULISES RUIZ/AFP via Getty Images) ( )

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Hurricane Lidia impacts Mexico (Protección Civil JAL)

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.