Hurricane Polo kills two people in Mexico before making landfall as it approaches Baja California
Mulegé, Mexico - Pacific Hurricane Polo has killed at least two people in Mexico even before making landfall, local authorities said on Sunday, as the powerful storm heads towards the Baja California peninsula.
Three more people are missing in the western state of Jalisco following heavy rain and landslides, according to civil protection authorities.
Polo is forecast to make landfall in north-western Mexico's Baja California Sur state as a hurricane on Monday evening.
According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm was heading towards the coast on Sunday as a Category 3 hurricane on the five-level scale, with sustained winds of around 125 miles per hour.
At the time, Polo was around 280 miles south-west of the popular tourist destination of Cabo San Lucas.
Forecasters expect the hurricane to make landfall near the municipality of Mulegé, bringing heavy rainfall and the risk of flash floods.
Residents have been urged to remain indoors as much as possible and closely follow instructions from civil protection authorities. Polo is forecast to cross the peninsula from west to east.
Flooding in Hawaii as another storm forms off Mexico
Meanwhile, Hurricane Nolo caused flooding in parts of Hawaii over the weekend as it passed the islands.
Another tropical storm, Rachel, formed off Mexico's southern Pacific coast on Sunday. The NHC expects Rachel to strengthen into a hurricane on Wednesday and track offshore along the coast.
A particularly strong El Niño pattern has contributed to an unusual hurricane season this year. Nine hurricanes have already formed in the Pacific, including three that reached the highest Category 5 level, while no hurricanes have formed in the Atlantic so far this season.
The eastern Pacific and Atlantic hurricane seasons officially run until November 30.
Cover photo: HANDOUT / NOAA / AFP