Mexico’s most devastating storms
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — As colossal Hurricane Patricia threatens Mexico’s Pacific coast with a potential catastrophe, here is a look at past named storms that have devastated the Latin American country:
READ: Record-breaking Hurricane Patricia slams into Mexico
Janet
The first Category Five hurricane to be recorded made landfall on September 27, 1955, in the eastern state of Quintana Roo, crushing wooden homes in the capital city of Chetumal and killing hundreds of people.
Mexico
Until Patricia, it was considered the most powerful to have formed in the Pacific, a Category Five hurricane with 260 kilometers (160 miles) per hour winds. It smashed into the coast on October 29, 1959, near the port of Manzanillo, leaving more than 1,000 people dead. Patricia has 325 kph (200 mph) winds and is also expected to make landfall near Manzanillo.
Beulah
It crashed into Quintana Roo on September 16, 1967, around the resort of Cozumel, then returned to the Atlantic where it regained force and reached Category Five power before slamming northeastern Mexico and the US state of Texas. Some 40 people died in Mexico.
Liza
This Pacific hurricane reached Category Four on September 30, 1976, before striking the southern part of Baja California peninsula. More than 1,000 died and the homes of tens of thousands of people were damaged.
Gilberto
The Category Five hurricane made landfall on September 14, 1988, on the Caribbean island of Cozumel before crashing into the Cancun resort. It returned to the Atlantic and then slammed into northeastern Mexico. The storm caused major flooding in the industrial hub of Monterrey. Some 200 people died, mostly in Monterrey.
Pauline
Hurricane Paulina killed hundreds of people after making landfall on October 8, 1997, in the southern state of Oaxaca. Hours later, it moved into neighboring Guerrero state, producing record rainfall and a landslide. Hundreds died.
Wilma
This erratic hurricane made landfall as a Category Four storm on October 21, 2005, in Cozumel and pummeled Cancun and the Riviera Maya for 48 hours. Eight people died while $10 billion worth of damage was caused in Mexico, especially in the tourist hotels. Looting followed the disaster.
Manuel and Ingrid
Mexico was hit nearly simultaneously by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid on both coasts in September 2013, a rare double landfall that left 157 people dead, including dozens who were buried in a mudslide in Guerrero.
