Heavy rains and high winds caused by Tropical Storm Ivo forced the closure of schools, ports and tourism services along Mexico’s Pacific coast Thursday morning.
Residents of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, woke to flooding after 89.4 millimeters of rain fell overnight, 10 millimeters more than the area has received all year. Winds reached speeds of 50 kilometers per hour.
Civil Protection personnel and municipal police evacuated around 50 people from flooded homes, according to government sources.
Mazatlán Civil Protection coordinator Eloy Ruiz Gastélum stated that there had been no need for temporary shelters, and all those who were evacuated were staying with family to wait out the flooding.
He urged residents to stay in their homes unless absolutely necessary.
In Baja California Sur, the Cabo San Lucas harbormaster closed the port at noon, and tourist service providers were forced to suspend operations.
Officials expected the storm to dump 85 to 125 millimeters of rain in Los Cabos on Thursday.
The National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that Ivo will continue to bring rain to Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán until Saturday.
The Cabo San Lucas harbormaster expected the port to resume normal functions on Saturday.
Sources: El Sol de La Laguna (sp), BCS Noticias (sp), Por Los Pasillos (sp)
