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Norbert batters Mexican peninsula

Sat Oct 11 19:10:51 UTC 2008

Hurricane batters Western Mexico

Sat Oct 11 22:41:11 UTC 2008

Hurricane Norbert has struck Mexico's Baja California Sur peninsula with heavy rains and 103mph (165km/h) winds.

Hurricane Norbert has struck Mexico's Baja California Sur peninsula with heavy rains and 103mph (165km/h) winds.

The US National Hurricane Center said Norbert made landfall near the city of La Paz.The Category 2 hurricane made landfall near the city of La Paz, blowing down roofs and uptrooting trees. Residents have been fleeing to shelters.
"It's blowing down roofs and destroying things in its path," said civil protection chief Jose Gajon.Forecasters say Norbert will cross the Gulf of California, before making a second landfall on Mexico's north-western mainland.
Forecasters expect the Category 2 storm to cross the peninsula and make a second landfall on Saturday night on Mexico's north-western mainland.It is expected to hit the agricultural states of Sonora and Sinaloa.
Reports say the storm is creating 13ft (four-metre) waves.Reports say the storm is creating 13ft (4m) waves.
"We expect Norbert to move over the Baja California Sur peninsula later Saturday before it enters the Gulf of California and then hits Sonora state," the National Hurricane Center said.
People evacuatedPeople evacuated
Mr Gajon said about 1,000 people were in shelters in Baja California Sur and they expected more.Baja California Sur's civil protection chief, Jose Gajon, said about 1,000 people were in shelters and more were expected.
"If it is necessary, we will use authorities to take to shelters those who refuse to go," he said.
Rescue teams have already evacuated people from homes made from wooden boards and sheet metal in low-lying areas.
Residents fled to shelters as floodwaters rose in their homes."If it is necessary, we will use authorities to take to shelters those who refuse to go," he added.
"We left our house because we were scared. Our house is pretty poor and the water was already coming in," said Maria Espinosa, 54, who arrived at a high school with her daughter and two grandchildren.Rescue teams have already evacuated people from homes made from wooden boards and sheet metal in low-lying areas.
Earlier, meteorologists downgraded Hurricane Norbert from Category 3 to 2 but said it remains "life-threatening".The wind uprooted palm trees and water rose knee-high in some streets of the town of Puerto San Carlos.
"Preparations to protect life and property in the hurricane warning areas should be rushed to completion," said a public advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami."We left our house because we were scared. Our house is pretty poor and the water was already coming in," said Maria Espinosa, 54, who arrived at a school with her daughter and two grandchildren.
The hurricane's heavy rainfall could result in "life-threatening flash floods and mud slides", the centre warned.Norbert is not expected to strengthen significantly as it crosses the Gulf of California, the US National Hurricane Center said.
It added that storm surge flooding of up to five feet above normal tide levels and large and dangerous battering waves were also expected on the coast.It is forecast to weaken once it moves into north-western Mexico on a path towards Arizona.
Earlier, meteorologists downgraded Hurricane Norbert from Category 3 to 2 but said it remained "life-threatening".