State of Yucatán on alert due to the passage of Hurricane Milton

Mexican authorities warned this Monday that Milton, which intensified into a category 5 hurricane in the morning, could impact during the night between the municipalities of Celestún and Progreso, in the state of Yucatán, southeast of the country, for which they asked the population take extreme precautions.

“Considering the cone of uncertainty and low pressure over Yucatán, and due to its movement towards the northern coast of Campeche and Yucatán, it is expected that, during this night, the center of the hurricane could impact between Celestún and Progreso,” said the coordinator of the National Meteorological Service (SMN), Alejandra Méndez Girón.

Given this, indicated in a statement that a prevention zone is maintained from Celestún to Río Lagartos, Yucatán; surveillance zone for the effects of the hurricane from Río Lagartos to Cabo Catoche, Quintana Roo, as well as from Celestún to San Francisco de Campeche.

The official pointed out that after making landfall, its cloud bands will affect the north of Campeche and Quintana Roo and the entire state of Yucatán.

After the possible impact, he said that it is expected that the center of the meteor could move along the coasts of Yucatán to the north of Quintana Roo, where it could change direction to the northeast, and by Wednesday head towards Florida, United States.

He pointed out that at 12:00 central Mexico time (18:00 GMT), Milton was located 130 kilometers (km) northwest of Celestún and 170 km west-northwest of Progreso, both towns in Yucatán, with winds of 280 kilometers per hour (km/h), gusts of 330 km/h, and moving east at 15 km/h.

Besides, It was expected to hit the peninsula with winds of 180 to 200 km/h, waves of 6 to 8 meters high, torrential rains in Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, entities where flooding and increased levels of rivers and streams are expected.

Also, he noted, The presence of possible waterspouts and damage to the electrical system and houses with tin roofs is expected.

Hours before, Mexican authorities activated emergency plans by the country’s Armed Forces in prevention mode to address any disaster caused by the cyclone.

In the 2024 hurricane season, three cyclones have hit Mexico across the Atlantic: Hurricane Beryl and Storm Chris, which left a white mark in July, and Storm Alberto, in June, when it left six dead in Nuevo León, northern Mexico.

The Mexican Government reported last Friday at least 236,636 affected in Guerrero, a state in southern Mexico that on September 23 was hit by John, a category 3 hurricane that left at least 29 dead, accumulated in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Michoacán. , and severe flooding that subsides very slowly.