The Pacific coast of Mexico was hit by Hurricane Barbara on Wednesday, devastating towns and ports. It also claimed the lives of two men, according to Reuters.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center clocked the storm’s winds at 75 miles per hour, around 80 miles from the port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca.
The storm was moving at a much slower pace, nine mph, and should begin to slow down even further as Wednesday night progresses.
According to Oaxaca’s Director of Emergency Services Manual Maza, reports came in of power outages due to the storm.
"We are seeing very, very strong winds and intense rainfall," he said.
The hurricane occurred near the largest oil refinery in the country which belongs to Pemex, the oil company owned by the Mexican state.
The refinery, which can produce in one day up to 330,000 barrrels of crude oil is located near Salina Cruz. According to the company, the refinery functioned normally Wednesday.
According to local authorities, a United States man, 61, and a man from Mexico, 26, died in the storm. The 61-year old had been surfing near Salina Cruz while the storm was occurring and drowned. The 26-year old was attempting to travel across a body of water.
According to Oaxaca authorities, ports for smaller boats and ships are not available. Also certain residents have been asked to leave their homes. Those who live near the Pemex refinery have also been asked to evacuate.
According to the NCH, Chipapa state’s Barra de Tonala to Boca de Pijijiapan can also expect to see parts of the storm, with rain accumulating to as much as three to five feet.
