A hurricane set to hit the west coast of Mexico has gained strength and become "life-threatening", meteorologists have warned.
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Mexican navy seizes cocaine sub ... National Hurricane Center has upgraded Hurricane Norbert, with wind speeds of up 115 mph (185 km/h), to Category 3.
Norbert, which had initially weakened, is due to hit Mexico's Baja California peninsula in the Pacific on Saturday.
Forecasters have warned of torrential rain and the threat of mud slides.
"Preparations to protect life and property in the hurricane warning areas should be rushed to completion," said a public advisory from the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Mexican authorities have issued warnings and are preparing an emergency plan.
Meteorologists said the the hurricane was likely to produce rainfall of up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) in some parts of southern Baja California which could result in "life-threatening flash floods and mud slides".
Large and dangerous battering waves are also expected on the coast, the center warned.
'Very worried'
Reports said fishermen in the area were pulling in their boats and tourists were being warned to stay off the beaches where yellow flags have been placed.
Narciso Agundez, the Governor of Baja California Sur state - one of the two states that make up the peninsula - told the Associated Press news agency that officials there are "very worried".
The advisory said that the centre of the hurricane was 90 miles (145 km) south of Cabo San Lazaro, Mexico at 0900 GMT.
The hurricane could strengthen further before hitting the coast, said the center, adding that steady weakening was expected after that.
"However, Norbert could still be a hurricane when it makes a second landfall along the north-western coast of mainland Mexico," said the advisory.
(BBC)
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