Tropical Storm Raymond heads toward Mexico’s Pacific coast

Mexico City (AP) — Tropical Storm Raymond steamed Sunday toward Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, an area devastated by rains and mudslides from tropical storm Manuel in September.

In a region where 10,000 people are still evacuated one month after Manuel flooded their homes or created landslide risks, officials raced to get emergency teams in place and weighed possible further evacuations.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Raymond is expected to become a hurricane soon, but is projected to take a sharp westward turn before it reaches the coast and heads out to sea.

Mexico is pinning its hopes on a cold front from the north that would help force Raymond to turn away from the coast, said the head of Mexico’s National Water Commission, David Korenfeld.

“The cold front coming down is what makes it (Raymond) turn to the left, but that is a model,” Korenfeld said. “If that cold front comes down more slowly, this tropical storm ... can get closer to the coast.”