SAN JOSE DEL CABO: Hurricane Odile grew into a powerful Category 4 storm on Sunday and took aim at the resort area of Los Cabos, prompting Mexican authorities to evacuate vulnerable coastal areas and prepare shelters for up to 30,000 people.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said Odile was on a track to pass close to or directly over the southern end of the Baja California Peninsula late on Sunday and into Monday.

Odile’s maximum sustained winds increased to 215 kph. Its centre was about 300 kilometres south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California and was moving to the northwest at 24 kph.

David Korenfeld, director of Mexico’s National Water Commission, described Odile as a “highly dangerous” storm. High winds, deadly surf and heavy rains were possible for Baja and parts of the mainland. Some 800 marines were on standby, and officials readied heavy equipment to help out in areas where mudslides could occur. In Los Cabos, skies clouded over as gusty winds whipped palm trees and waves pounded the rocky coastline.

Fluttering black flags signaled that beaches were closed due to high surf. Luis Felipe Puente, national coordinator for Mexico’s civil protection agency, said 164 shelters had been prepared for as many as 30,000 people in the state of Baja California Sur.

He said occupancy in hotels was low, but tourists were warned to stay inside in the safer areas of the hotels and keep away from doors and windows. Hotel officials kept guests updated about the storm’s approach and distributed movies and board games in anticipation of everyone having to hunker down inside later in the day.

Workers put protective plastic sheeting over hotel windows. Guests were advised to have their bags packed and passports at the ready.Ann Montalvo, a tourist from California staying at the Westin resort, said hotel workers seemed to be taking the right steps to ensure guests’ safety, and she wasn’t worried.

“I live in the San Francisco area where we have earthquakes, so we’re always kind of on our toes anyway,” Montalvo said. A hurricane warning was in effect for Baja California Sur from Punta Abreojos to La Paz. Mexican authorities declared a maximum alert for areas in or near Odile’s path, and ports in Baja California were to remain closed.

Korenfeld said there was also a chance the storm could track into the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, and as a precaution authorities were on high alert. In the central Atlantic, Tropical Storm Edouard strengthened into a hurricane with sustained winds of 130 kph, although it was expected to remain far out at sea and pose no threat to land.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014