Tropical storm Raymond forms off Mexico, Acapulco faces more rain

10/20/2013

MEXICO CITY -- Tropical storm Raymond formed off Mexico's Pacific coast today, threatening to dump more heavy rain on the beach resort of Acapulco, which is still recovering from devastating floods that hit the country last month.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Raymond was expected to become a hurricane within 48 hours, and Mexico has issued a tropical storm watch from Acapulco in Guerrero state to the port of Lazaro Cardenas further northwest.

Raymond is likely to get close to the coast late on Monday or on Tuesday, then begin to meander, the NHC said.

Mexico has no major oil installations in Raymond's path.

Rains caused by the storm over the next few days could cause life-threatening flash floods and mud slides, the center added.

Mexico suffered its worst flooding on record when tropical storms Manuel and Ingrid converged from the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico in mid-September, killing more than 150 people and causing estimated damages of around $6 billion.

Acapulco was one of the places worst hit by the chaos, as torrential rains put the city's airport under water and stranded thousands of tourists.

Early today, Raymond was churning about 180 miles south southwest of Acapulco and moving northwestwards at about 7 mph. The storm was generating maximum sustained winds of 40 mph with higher gusts, the NHC added.