Hurricane Franklin strikes Mexico’s eastern coast

MEXICO CITY: Hurricane Franklin slammed into Mexico’s eastern coast early yesterday, sweeping the region with powerful winds and heavy rain capable of producing deadly flash floods.

Franklin made landfall near the town of Lechuguillas, some 70 miles northwest of the port of Veracruz, as a category one hurricane, the US National Hurricane Center reported at 0600 GMT.

That is the lowest level on the five-point scale. Veracruz state authorities nevertheless declared a red alert, and said the amount of damage would depend on how much water Franklin dumps, and where.

Franklin, the first hurricane of the 2017 season, was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, the NHC said.

“Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center,” the NHC said.

It added that expected rainfall totals of four to eight inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches, “will be capable of producing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.”

Veracruz Governor Miguel Angel Yunes told TV network Televisa that the areas “most at risk are the ones where we have ‘rapid response’ rivers, rivers that originate in the mountains near the coast and whose discharge of water can rise rapidly.”

There are 90 cities and towns that will likely feel the direct effects, with a total of more than two million residents, said Veracruz state disaster management chief Yolanda Baizabal. — AFP