Mexico – Flash Floods in Jalisco State as Hurricane Bud Intensifies

by in Americas, News

Mexico’s weather service warned yesterday of storms, heavy rain and strong winds in the states of Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima and Guerrero as Tropical Storm Bud intensified into a hurricane late on Sunday, 10 June. Coastal areas in Colima, Michoacán and Guerrero were also warned of storm surge of up to 3 metres.

Severe weather affected parts of Jalisco state in Mexcio during the afternoon of Sunday 10 June. Areas around the city of Guadalajara were the worst affected.

Around 65 mm of rain fell in Guadalajara in just a few hours on Sunday afternoon. Elsewhere, heavy rain was recorded in the state of Guerrero, where 97 mm of rain fell in 24 hours to early 10 June.

Guadalajara

In Guadalajara, streets, businesses and homes were flooded and cars were dragged along flooded streets and drainage channels. The Avenida Patria canal to the north of Guadalajara overflowed, according to local media.

Emergency services were called into action after a tunnel of the city’s light railway system was flooded. Social media showed images of passengers escaping a train trapped in flood waters around 3 to 4 metres deep in places.

Aristóteles Sandoval, Governor of Jalisco state, said that no injuries were reported during the severe weather.

Flooded railway in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, 10 June 2018. Photo: Protection Civil Jalisco
Flooded railway in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, 10 June 2018. Photo: Protection Civil Jalisco
Flooded railway in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, 10 June 2018. Photo: Protection Civil Jalisco

Hurricane Bud

On 11 June, Hurricane Bud had intensified further to a Category 2 hurricane. As of 11 June at 06:00 UTC, its centre was located approximately 340 km south-southwest of Manzanillo city (Colima State) and approximately 465 km south of Cabo Corriente city (Jalisco State) with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h.

Hurricane Bud is the second of the 2018 Pacific hurricane season after Tropical Storm Aletta, which is moving slowly west, well away from land.

Predicted trajectory of Hurricane Bud, Mexico, June 2018 Image: National Hurricane Center

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