Tourism workers, fishermen, and yacht owners took their boats ashore on Wednesday (June 18) in Acapulco, southern Mexico, bracing for Hurricane Erick and fearing a repeat of Hurricane Otis's devastation from late 2023.

Erick is expected to bring potentially destructive winds and life-threatening flash flooding to parts of southern Mexico Wednesday night and Thursday (June 19), the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in a report.

"A hurricane hunter aircraft reports that Erick is a major hurricane," the NHC said in its latest update at 6 p.m. CST (2300 GMT).

Scientists have warned that Erick could become the most intense hurricane to make landfall along Mexico's Pacific coast this early in the season.

With maximum sustained winds of 195 kph (121 mph), Erick was located 90 km (about 56 miles) from the tourist enclave of Puerto Angel, where a hurricane warning is in effect, extending westward to the resort city of Acapulco. Up to 16 inches (about 41 cm) of rain is expected to hit the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, according to the NHC.

Both states have begun emergency planning and taken preventive actions with local authorities. Over 18,000 first responders have been deployed, and more than 500 temporary shelters have been activated, according to authorities. Mexican authorities are also coordinating evacuation and care efforts for tourists in popular beach destinations, including Acapulco, which is still recovering from Hurricane Otis' devastation in October 2023.

Acapulco's international airport announced on its X account that all flights scheduled for Thursday have been suspended. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged residents to stay indoors and move to shelters if they are in flood-prone areas. Mexico's national water commission, Conagua, warned that rainfall in coastal areas could trigger landslides and flooding, with waves reaching up to 6 meters (20 feet) high.

In Acapulco, workers diligently boarded up business windows with wood panels to prevent issues from a possible Hurricane Erick or potential looting. The rest of the day remained mostly sunny with minimal precipitation, ending with local tourists enjoying Acapulco's beaches during the afternoon, but as night fell, heavy rains started, as reported by a Reuters witness.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ACAPULCO, GUERRERO, MEXICO (JUN 18, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF FISHERMEN AND SAILORS GROUNDING SHIP

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESTAURANT MANAGER, MARCO ANTONIO RENTERIA, SAYING:

"What's happening is that we're grounding ourselves on Manzanillo Beach to shelter from the approaching hurricane. We don't know if it's going to pick up speed, and something like what happened with Otis (Category 5 Hurricane that hit Acapulco in October 2023) or John (Category 3 Hurricane that hit Guerrero in September 2024) could occur, so we have to ground."

3. SHIPS ON GROUND

4. PIRATE FLAG FROM ONE PIECE, THE JAPANESE MANGA SERIES, FLUTTERING

5. BOBCAT PULLING SHIPS WITH ARM

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESTAURANT MANAGER, MARCO ANTONIO RENTERIA, SAYING:

"Everyone is taking precautions with their boats. Most are grounding them to avoid any disaster. Before the disaster with Otis, all the boats stayed in the water through hurricanes of category 3 or 4, and nothing ever happened. But after that (Otis)... The brave ones perished that day."

7. VARIOUS OF NATIONAL GUARD OFFICERS PATROLLING PORT

8. ROUNDABOUT WITH STATUE OF ROMAN GODDESS DIANA

9. TOURISTS ENTERING THE SEA

10. TOURISTS ENTERING THE SEA, ACAPULCO SKYLINE

11. TOURISTS ON BEACH

12. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) TOURISTIC FISHERMAN, MANUEL MENESES, SAYING:

"Today, thank God, with everyone's help, we're grounding all the boats to protect ourselves because we really don't know how strong the waves will be, and we want to be prepared."

13. VARIOUS OF WORKERS COVERING COMMERCIAL BUILDING WINDOWS WITH WOOD PANELS

14. PROTECTED BANK BRANCH OFFICE

15. PROTECTED STORE

16. CLOSED BEACH RESTAURANT

17. RED FLAG INDICATING HIGH WAVES, SWIMMING IS FORBIDDEN