Acapulco, Mexico (AFP)-Hurricane Erick raced toward Mexico’s Pacific coast on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of the risk of deadly floods.

The NHC said it expected Erick to bring “damaging winds and life-threatening flash floods to portions of southern Mexico” when it makes landfall early Thursday.

Erick was 165 kilometers (105 miles) from the town of Puerto Angel in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers an hour, the meteorological center said.

It had strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane after reaching Category 1 on Wednesday morning.

“Rapid strengthening is expected to continue today, and Erick is forecast to reach major hurricane strength tonight or early Thursday as it approaches the coast of southern Mexico,” the NHC said.

Forecasters warned of intense rainfall across the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, bringing “life-threatening flooding and mudslides.”

Mexican authorities said they were also expecting heavy rain in Chiapas state.

President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters.

In Acapulco, a major port and resort famous for its nightlife, police with bullhorns walked the beach and drove around town warning residents and holidaymakers of the storm’s arrival.

Some shops boarded up their windows and operators of tourist boats brought their vessels ashore.

Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of civil protection, said the government was using the preventive patrols and social media to warn people.

Around 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers have been deployed to help in any clean-up effort.

Local authorities have suspended classes and closed ports along the coast, including the port of Acapulco, to shipping.

Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

In October 2023, Acapulco was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed at least 50 people.

John, a Category 3 storm that hit in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.