Hundreds of thousands told to take shelter as ‘worst storm ever’ hits Mexico

Hundreds of thousands of people were being advised to take shelter as Hurricane Patricia - one of the most powerful storms ever recorded - barrels towards the Mexican coast. People on the Pacific coastline were warned that the winds could have “catastrophic consequences” as the hurricane strengthened into an “extremely dangerous” Category 5 storm. The hurricane is comparable with Typhoon Haiyan, which killed 6,300 people in the Philippines in 2013, the World Meteorological Organization says. A state of emergency has been declared in three states in Patricia’s path.

Patricia has now become the strongest eastern North Pacific hurricane since records began. It’s also tied as the third strongest on the planet ever.

Sky News weather presenter Joanna Robinson

The category five hurricane is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening, with winds of 200mph (325km/h). Some 400,000 people live in vulnerable areas and the hurricane could bring torrential rain and huge waves as well as triggering flash floods and mudslides. Businesses around the port of Manzanillo began boarding and taping up windows late on Thursday as a precaution, while several domestic flights were delayed. "We are calm,“ said hotel worker Gabriel Lopez, in Manzanillo. "We don’t know what direction (the storm) will take, but apparently it’s headed this way. If there is an emergency we will take care of the people. There are rooms that are not exposed to wind or glass.”

“[It’s] better to be safe than sorry. Hurricanes are unpredictable

Furniture store manager Enrique Esparza

World Hurricane Patricia