The strongest storm in the Western Hemisphere makes landfall in Mexico

Patricia, one of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the Eastern Pacific, made landfall in Mexico with 265 km/h winds, threatening to cause catastrophic damage.

According to the Telegraph, the US National Hurricane Center said the Category 5 storm had wind speeds of 265 km/h when it made landfall near the Cuixmala resort. This location is about 88 km west-northwest of the port city of Manzanillo.

Image of the eye of Hurricane Patricia. Photo: NASA

The center said Patricia was the strongest storm ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere, while the World Meteorological Organization compared it to Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed thousands of people in the Philippines.

According to Reuters, the Category 5 storm put western Mexican states bordering the Pacific Ocean on high alert, including Jalisco, home to the popular resort of Puerto Vallarta, and Guadalajara, the country's second largest city.

About 15,000 domestic and foreign tourists have been evacuated from Puerto Vallarta, according to Roberto Ramirez, head of Mexico's federal water agency.

"This storm is a big concern," said Patricio Flores, a union official in Jalisco. "We know it can destroy anything in its path."

The storm's winds were strong enough to "lift the plane into the air and keep it flying," World Meteorological Organization spokeswoman Claire Nullis said, according to the BBC.

Mexican President Pena Nieto said it was difficult to predict the consequences of the massive storm. "But one thing is certain: we are facing a storm like we have never seen before," he told a local radio station before US President Barack Obama said the US was ready to assist Mexico. Mexican and US officials said the storm could be catastrophic.

Image of Hurricane Patricia seen from the International Space Station. Photo: Twitter

The Mexican government has declared a state of emergency and has taken preventative measures, especially in the states of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, Guerrero and Nayarit. More than 1,780 shelters have been set up, with 50,000 relief workers on standby, and 4,000 naval officers deployed.

Officials are also concerned about flash flooding. With rainfall estimated at between 200 and 300 mm, and as much as 500 mm in some areas, the US National Hurricane Center has issued a warning to nearly 7 million people living near the coast.

According to VNE