Hurricane Simon crawls along Mexico's Pacific coast, bringing floods and evacuations

Hurricane Simon crept northwest ​just off Mexico's Pacific coast early on ​Monday, lashing western states with dangerous winds, ‌heavy rain ​and flooding that put riverside communities on alert for possible evacuations.

The US National Hurricane Center said Simon was about 50 miles (80 km) west-southwest of Cabo Corrientes in ‌Jalisco state at 5 a.m. local time (1200 GMT), packing maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph), making it a Category 3 hurricane. The hurricane was moving northwest at just 2 mph (4 kph) and was expected to continue along that track before ‌turning northeast and moving inland across west-central Mexico around midweek.

Authorities said that Simon could bring life-threatening flooding and mudslides to ‌parts of the Pacific coast and nearby mountains. The hurricane is forecast to dump an additional 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of rain across coastal areas of southwest and west-central Mexico, with isolated amounts of 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) in parts of ⁠Jalisco ​and Sinaloa. The National Hurricane Center ⁠said isolated storm totals could reach 30 inches (76 cm) in parts of Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco.

In the town of Cihuatlan, in Jalisco ⁠near the border with Colima, rising water levels in the Marabasco River prompted patrols by the Mexican Army, Civil Protection officials and ​the Red Cross. Floodwater inundated streets and low-lying areas of the town overnight. In the port city of Manzanillo, ⁠in Colima state, residents waded through flooded homes and streets as navy personnel helped remove water.

"Everything got flooded," said resident Maria Elena Vazquez from inside ⁠her ​home, pants rolled up as the water came up to her ankles. The National Hurricane Center said that a dangerous storm surge is expected near and east of where Simon approaches the coast, accompanied by large destructive waves. ⁠Swells from the hurricane are also forecast to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along southwestern and west-central Mexico over ⁠the next few days.

Simon ⁠had weakened from a stronger Category 4 system, but forecasters said it is likely to remain a hurricane through midweek before rapidly losing strength after moving inland over Mexico's mountainous ‌terrain.