Hurricane Rina Strengthening as it Heads Toward Cancun?
Hurricane Rina has strengthened as it barrels toward the widely popular vacation spot, Cancun.
The hurricane is just shy of becoming a Category 3 storm, which is considered a major hurricane that could cause substantial damage to infrastructure such as small residences and utility buildings or buildings that lack solid foundation, such a mobile homes.
Presently, Rina is a Category 2 storm maintaining up to 110 mph winds, but forecasters are predicting that it will strengthen Wednesday evening as it nears the coast of Mexico.
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The Untied States has issued a travel alert for those in the country that have been eager to get a beach vacation in prior to the winter season.
Rina is the sixth hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season. Although Americans have expressed fear that Rina could be heading towards the U.S. – particularly following the devastating 2005 Hurricane Katrina and the recent damage caused by Hurricane Irene – weather experts predicted Rina would mostly affect Mexico.
The Mexican authorities have been preparing for the storm, setting up shelters that could house up to 200,000 people.
Those that are currently living in the hurricane’s path are being told to prepare evacuation kits and board up windows.
As reported by the Associated Press, authorities have evacuated fishing communities in the towns of Punta Allen and the Banco Chinchorro.
In Punta Allen 275 residents were taken to storm shelters while it is expected that a total of 500 residents will be evacuated in the area.
The State Tourism Director has said that there are about 83,000 tourists in Mexico and that about 45,000 of the tourists are vacationing along the Cancun coast.
Many tourists are leaving on their own accord, however, others plan to stick out the storm and continue to enjoy their vacation.
One such tourist, an American woman named Wendy Power who had lived through Katrina, told AP, “We had Katrina and we survived it. If the one coming here is a category 1 or 2, we could have a beach party.”
