VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) – Hurricane Grace struck the Mexican coastline in the Gulf of Mexico as a severe Category 3 storm on Saturday and penetrated the territory, causing rains in the region and the interior in the second time it makes landfall in the country in two days. At least eight people have died, authorities said.
The storm had lost steam when it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, where it affected Mexico’s main tourist strip, but gained strength quickly due to the relatively warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico before reaching the Mexican coast again on Friday night. .
At least eight people perished, including children, and three are missing due to landslides and floods, said Cuitláhuac García, governor of the state of Veracruz. Garcia noted that 330,000 people were without power due to the storm and power is gradually restored.
The National Hurricane Center of the United States reported that Grace had lost strength and had degraded to a tropical storm during its advance through the mountainous central area of Mexico, east of the capital of the country, and had dissipated later in the middle of the afternoon.
The storm caused the overflowing of rivers and landslides in several parts and it was necessary to carry out evacuations, according to the authorities of Veracruz.
In the coastal town of Tecolutla, Esteban Domínguez observed the ruins that his house was converted into. He said his family’s home had weathered a previous hurricane, but this time the walls couldn’t withstand the blows.
Domínguez pointed out that the night was spooky and worrying because it had exceeded normal.
Hours before making landfall on Friday, Grace caused strong winds, high waves and rain in the Veracruz communities of Tuxpan, Poza Rica, Xalapa and the port of Veracruz, as well as in coastal towns in the states of Tabasco and Tamaulipas, the Service said. National Weather of Mexico.
Some fishermen pulled their boats out of the sea and into the interior to avoid damage, and merchants lined the windows and stained glass windows of their premises with wood to protect them.
The hurricane passed near Tulum on Thursday, a tourist city famous for its Mayan ruins in Yucatan by the sea. Some families lived through hours of terror in their shelters due to falling branches and flying debris.
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The Associated Press journalists Felix Márquez from Veracruz and Fabiola Sánchez from Tulum reported.