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LA PAZ, Mexico - Hurricane Norbert, a Category 2 storm on the Saffir Simpson scale, crashed ashore on northwestern Mexico's Pacific coast Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
"Norbert is now ashore near the coastline in Puerto Cortes ... the eye is close to hitting Puerto Cortes, but the entire area is being affected by hurricane strength" winds and downpours, a NWS forecaster said by phone.
The storm was moving at 24 kilometers per hour (15 miles per hour) with sustained winds of 165 km/h (103 mph) the weather service said, adding that it was spawning four-meter (13-feet) waves.
"We expect Norbert to move over the Baja California Sur peninsula later Saturday before it enters the Gulf of California and then hits Sonora state," the forecaster added.
So far about 1,000 people were in shelters in Baja California Sur, and "we do expect more, and if it is necessary, we will use authorities to take to shelters those who refuse to go," said Jose Gajon, state civil protection chief.
Hotel reservations were off by about 40 percent mainly in Los Cabos and Loreto, local tourism officials said.
- AFP /ls
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