Major Hurricane Roslyn Wreaks Havoc in Mexico, Killing At Least Three People

Major Hurricane Roslyn made landfall in Mexico on Sunday, October 23, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding, and landslides.

Several people died as the powerful storm struck the coastline of the Central American nation. In addition, the hurricane also forced widespread evacuations, caused massive travel disruption, and led to power outages as it wreaked havoc across the country coastline.

Major Hurricane Roslyn

(Photo : Photo by NOAA by Getty Images)

At least three people were killed when Major Hurricane Roslyn struck Mexico's Pacific shore with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour).

This is in addition to the torrential rain, floodwaters, and mudslides the category 3 hurricane brought to western Mexico, the BBC report said.

Since then, the major hurricane has been downgraded to a tropical cyclone.

However, Tropical Cyclone Roslyn still threatens the country with flood risk, especially in low-lying grounds and communities near bodies of water.

The aftermath of the East Pacific Ocean storm left flooded roads, overturned vehicles, and damaged houses.

Reports suggested that the tropical storm severely affected the states of Jalisco and Nayarit the most.

The fatalities from the latest weather event involved an elderly man who was hit by a beam after a roof fell on him.

On the other hand, two women died after being crushed by collapsing buildings.

There was no further mention of any related deaths.

However, the death toll number is still possible to increase as local authorities could find other potential fatalities in areas affected by floodwaters and mudslides.

Roslyn also submerged vehicles and trucks in deep water, which were evidence based on images and videos that surfaced on Monday, October 24.

Fallen trees and landslides also blocked highways in the affected areas, according to AccuWeather.

Also Read: Roslyn becomes Tropical Storm, Expected to Hit Western Mexico with Heavy Rainfall and Hurricane Conditions

Worst Affected Areas

In Nayarit state, the worst affected area is reportedly in the town of Tecuala and mud was seen further south along the coast in the town of Sayulita.

In Jalisco state, flash flooding and power outages occurred in the town of Puerto Vallarta, causing only minor damage, the state's governor confirms, as cited by the BBC.

Local sources also said flights have returned to normal after being disrupted due to the hurricane landfall.

People have also started to return to their homes.

Meanwhile, beaches will remain closed until further notice, Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro Ramirez adds.

Prior to the landfall of Tropical Storm Roslyn, municipal authorities in Jalisco and Nayarit had established emergency shelters for evacuees.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Roslyn reached Mexico's mainland at 5:20 a.m. local time near Santa Cruz in northern Nayarit, a coastal province of Mexico where popular tourist beaches are located, as cited by Reuters.

Major Hurricane Roslyn is currently the 17th named system in East Pacific hurricane season this year.

Earlier this year, US weather authorities from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have warned that there will be a very active 2022 season consisting of above-normal number of named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes.