Europe 1 with AFP 09:24, October 02, 2022

Hurricane Orlene strengthened to category 3 on Sunday morning as it approaches the Pacific coast of Mexico, which it is expected to reach in the coming days, announced the National Water Commission (Conagua).

Hurricane Orlene "converted into a Category 3 major hurricane" on Sunday morning as it approached the Pacific coast of Mexico, which it is expected to reach in the coming days, the United States National Hurricane Center announced. United (NHC).

It "became a major hurricane" with strong winds of 185 km / h, said the NHC, based in Miami, in its last bulletin at 0600 GMT.

In category 3 out of 5

"Orlene has intensified into a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale" which has 5, for its part indicated the National Water Commission (Conagua) in a press release.

The hurricane is located 205 km from Playa Perula, in the state of Jalisco (west) where it caused heavy rains.

It is moving north at a speed of 7 km/h and "according to the forecast trajectory, the center of Orlene should pass near or over the Islas Marias on Sunday night or Monday morning and reach the coast of mainland Mexico" on same day, detailed the NHC.

Intense rains and strong winds

The hurricane brought "intense rains" from the south to the north of the Mexican coast accompanied by "strong winds and heavy swells", the Civil Protection office said on Twitter, urging residents of at-risk areas to seek refuge in temporary shelters.

The Navy meanwhile closed the ports in the states of Nayarit and Jalisco.

Mexico's Atlantic and Pacific coasts are prone to hurricanes each year, usually between May and November.

In October 1997, more than 200 people died during the passage of Paulina on the coasts of the Pacific.