As Category 5 hurricane Patricia came ashore at the town Emiliano Zapata in western Mexico early this evening, travel in the area came to a standstill. After an afternoon filled with frantic preparation and the rushed evacuation of tens of thousands, the streets finally cleared of traffic.
Rising winds and heavy rain forced the shutdown of the area’s three main airports: Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo in Colima state and Tepic in Nayarit. Bus and taxi service stopped for the duration of the storm and utilities were shut off in many areas to help prevent fires from downed power lines or in damaged buildings.
Weather conditions deteriorated to the point that bus and nearly all other road travel came to a standstill, while residents huddled indoors to wait out the worst of the storm. A few emergency vehicles patrolled city streets with sirens & loudspeakers, but even those had to seek shelter when the storms eye crossed the area.
Torrential rains of up to 15 inches are anticipated, which are likely to cause widespread flooding and mudslides in the hilly & mountainous terrain in the storm’s path. Officials have expressed concern over emergency access delays due to road blockages after the storm, by flooding, landslides & debris.
Airports are currently closed, and re-openings will depend on the amount of infrastructure damage as well as possible storm debris that might block runways.
Puerto Vallarta Airport reported at least 31 flights cancelled on Friday, and it is unlikely that the normally large tourist volume will resume anytime soon. Emergency crews will likely make airport repairs a priority, if only to allow quick access by officials and rescue crews from outside the area.
Mexican authorities have stressed that food and emergency supplies are stocked for such emergencies, and both civilian and military emergency personnel are waiting to move into the area as soon as the storm passes by the area.