Hurricane Simon Continues to Impact Western Mexico as Tropical Systems Claim Five Lives
Hurricane Simon lingers off western Mexico, causing flooding and damage after tropical systems kill five. Evacuations and rescue efforts continue.
POLICY WIRE — Mexico City, Mexico — Hurricane Simon continued its slow movement along the western coast of Mexico on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and strong winds after a series of tropical weather events led to at least five fatalities in coastal regions.
The storm’s eye remained offshore, but its outer bands battered communities near Puerto Vallarta, stretching from the Sierra Madre mountains to the Pacific Ocean. With sustained winds of 90 mph, Simon was classified as a Category 1 hurricane, though it had transitioned into a smaller tropical cyclone according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Simon was located about 90 miles west of Cabo Corrientes, moving northwest at a sluggish pace of 3 mph. Forecasters indicated that while some weakening is expected, the storm is likely to remain a hurricane through midweek and may regain strength by Wednesday. Strong winds extended up to 10 miles from the core, with tropical-storm-force winds reaching 45 miles out.
Flood warnings were lifted across parts of the southwestern U.S. after the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel caused severe flooding in Las Vegas over the weekend. In Baja California, rescuers searched for survivors in Ensenada following extensive flooding that swept away vehicles and damaged homes, resulting in four deaths linked to post-tropical cyclone Rachel.
Resident Johana Nuriulu described how the flooding began during the night, triggered by heavy rains that knocked out power. She heard what sounded like loud ocean waves and discovered that a nearby stream had overflowed, sending water rushing through her neighborhood. “Everything was being dragged away,” she said.
Several areas in Baja California became isolated due to landslides and overflowing rivers. The Mexican military used helicopters to evacuate 32 people, including 22 foreigners, from a ranch in Ensenada. Among those rescued were 13 youths, some of whom were missionaries from Germany and the U.S., according to state officials.
At least four bodies were recovered in Ensenada, including a 13-year-old girl and three others on Monday. Six individuals remain missing, with two unaccounted for in San Felipe after a father and son went fishing and never returned. Over 14,000 federal and state personnel have been deployed to assist in the region.
In Guerrero state, Governor Evelyn Salgado reported that Simon caused widespread damage, including fallen trees, blocked roads, and flooded homes in coastal towns like Acapulco. A 71-year-old man died when a wall collapsed in Chilpancingo, the state capital.
In Puerto Vallarta, businesses reopened after the rain eased, with workers removing wooden panels from shuttered storefronts. The city’s international airport remained closed until Tuesday morning. We should stay alert because we don’t know if it will arrive, move elsewhere, or dissipate, said Noelia Carrillo, a tourism worker.
Tropical Storm Rachel weakened into a post-tropical cyclone as it moved north into Southern California, generating massive waves that damaged a boardwalk and hit homes in Long Beach. Some residents were forced to leave their homes. Las Vegas set an all-time daily rainfall record for October, receiving 1.08 inches of rain, matching a 1947 record.
Social media videos showed floodwaters surging through streets near the Las Vegas Strip, with casinos and a Ferris wheel visible in the background. Flood advisories were largely lifted by late Monday in Utah, Arizona, and other parts of the Southwest.
In Utah, dozens of participants in the Moab 240 ultramarathon were evacuated after being stranded by flooding. The race route passes through Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Officials clarified that the additional rainfall was from a separate weather system, not Rachel, and expected it to end by Wednesday.
Power restoration efforts continued in the U.S. Southeast after Hurricane Isaias struck, causing at least four deaths. The first hurricane of the Atlantic season made landfall as a Category 2 storm near Destin, Florida, before moving into Alabama and eventually dissipating.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
