Image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center
Mexico's Baja California is reeling from Hurricane Odile, the most potent storm to ever hit the peninsula. The category 3 hurricane, which made landfall in Cabo San Lucas early on Sept. 15 with winds approximately 115 miles per hour, has now been downgraded to a category 1.
It is said to be traveling northeast and is expected to pound Baja California, Sonora, Nayarit, Jalisco, Durango, Colima, Chihuahua and Michoacán with extremely heavy rain.
Although no fatalities have been reported, local media said there have been injuries from flying glass. There are also reports of extensive power outages, flooded out roads, wind damage and looting.
Many hotels, apparently, have suffered significant damage, with reports of the Westin's windows being blown out and the Hilton suffering extensive damage.
Both arriving and departing flights - at minimum 22 - have been canceled at the Cabo San Lucas International Airport.
According to the Weather Channel there are, at minimum, 26,000 tourists in the area, who were advised to stay in shelters that were created at 18 hotels, from which they are beginning to emerge to assess the damage.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the aftereffects of the hurricane may results in serious flooding and mudslides on the northwestern coast. The center said it is expected that the hurricane will hover over the area until Sept. 17, bringing continued heavy rains and winds.
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