MEXICO CITY (AP) 鈥� Hurricane John ripped toward Mexico's southern coast on Monday after rapidly intensifying over the eastern Pacific Ocean, surprising authorities who called for residents of some coastal areas to head for cover.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said that John had "rapidly strengthened鈥� into a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph). The storm was located 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Punta Maldonado. It was moving north at 6 mph (9 kph).
John was barreling forward as a Category 2 hurricane Monday afternoon, but was forecast to continue strengthening possibly into a major Category 4 storm before making landfall Tuesday. John鈥檚 forecast path continued shifting so the point of landfall remained uncertain.
The center said it could result in dangerous winds and storm surges, as well as 鈥渓ife-threatening鈥� flash floods in the Pacific coast near Oaxaca, a hub of resort towns.
The unexpected surge in strength caught scientists, authorities and residents of the area by surprise, something meteorologist Matt Benz attributed to warmer oceans, which add fuel to the hurricanes.
As a result, surprise surges in hurricanes' strength have become increasingly common, Benz said.
鈥淭hese are storms that we haven鈥檛 really experienced before,鈥� he said. 鈥淩apid intensification has occurred more frequently in modern times as opposed to back in the historical record. So that鈥檚 telling us there鈥檚 something going on there.鈥�
Things were tense in Oaxaca鈥檚 coastal cities on Monday shortly after the announcement as residents and businesses were bracing themselves. Authorities appeared to be responding quickly to the shift in forecast.
Laura Vel谩zquez, the federal coordinator of civil protection, told residents of Pacific coastal cities they should evacuate their homes and head to shelters in order to 鈥減rotect theirs and their family's lives.鈥�
鈥淚t's very important that all citizens in the coastal zone ... take preventive measures," Vel谩zquez said.
Ana Aldai, a 33-year-old employee of a restaurant located on the shores of the tourist hub Playa Escondida, said that businesses in the area began closing after authorities ordered the suspension of all work on the area's main beaches.
After authorities met Monday afternoon to plan their response, the governments of Guerrero and Oaxaca states announced they would suspend classes in a number of coastal zones on Tuesday.
Videos on social media from Puerto Escondido showed flip-flop-clad tourists walking through heavy rain and fishermen pulling their boats out of the water. Strong rains in previous days have already left some roads in the region in a precarious position.
Aldai said she was 鈥渁 little bit distressed" because notice from authorities came quickly. 鈥淭here was no opportunity to make the necessary purchases. That also distresses us," she said.
Benz, the meteorologist, expressed concern that the storm could slow once it hits land, leaving the storm hovering over the coastal zone, which could cause even greater damage.
The hurricane is bleak news for the region, which last year was walloped by a similar rapidly intensifying hurricane.
, where residents had little warning of the strength of what was about to hit them. One of the most rapidly intensifying hurricanes ever seen, scientists at the time said it was .
Otis blew out power in the city for days, left bodies scattered on the coast and desperate family members searching for lost loved ones. Much of the city and thousands scavenged in stores, scrambled for food and water.
The government of President Andr茅s Manuel L贸pez Obrador received harsh criticism for its slow response to Otis, but since authorities have pledged to pick up their speed.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said her government planned to work on improving an early alert system, similar to what the country has with earthquakes.
Through Thursday, John is expected to produce 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12 inches) of rain across coastal areas of Chiapas state with more in isolated areas. In areas along and near the Oaxaca coast to southeast Guerrero, between 25 and 50 centimeters (10 and 20 inches) of rain with isolated higher totals can be expected through Thursday.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to feel the impacts of the storm probably for the next couple of weeks to a couple of months,鈥� meteorologist Benz added.
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