Southern Mexico is reeling after Hurricane Erick slammed into the Pacific coast as a powerful Category 3 storm—the earliest major hurricane to make landfall in the region on record.
Making landfall near Punta Maldonado in Oaxaca on June 19, 2025, Erick brought with it sustained winds of 125 mph, torrential rain, and a storm surge that swallowed entire coastal communities.
What makes Erick particularly alarming is its rapid intensification. In just 24 hours, it transformed from a tropical storm into a Category 4 hurricane with peak winds of 145 mph before weakening slightly at landfall.
Meteorologists are calling it one of the most extreme cases of rapid intensification ever recorded in the eastern Pacific before July—a phenomenon becoming more frequent due to warming ocean temperatures.
The storm’s impact was immediate and widespread. In Oaxaca and Guerrero, rivers overflowed, roads collapsed, and landslides buried entire neighborhoods.
At least two people have been confirmed dead, including a one-year-old boy swept away in a flash flood. Over 120,000 residents lost power, and many towns remain without electricity or communication.
Puerto Escondido, a popular tourist destination, was among the hardest hit. Fishing boats were tossed ashore like toys, and beachfront restaurants were reduced to rubble.
In Acapulco, still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Otis in 2023, residents braced for the worst. Fortunately, the a direct hit, but the psychological scars remain fresh.
Mexican authorities acted swiftly, deploying over 9,000 Navy personnel and opening more than 500 shelters. President Claudia Sheinbaum suspended all regional activities and urged residents to evacuate low-lying areas. Despite these efforts, the scale of destruction has overwhelmed local resources.
Erick’s legacy may be defined not just by its winds and rain, but by what it signals: a new era of unpredictable, fast-strengthening storms.
As cleanup begins and the death toll potentially rises, the storm serves as a stark reminder of the growing volatility of our climate.
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