© AFPStorm surges could produce serious flooding along the affected coast
A huge storm bearing down on the Pacific coast of Mexico has strengthened to a hurricane just hours before it is due to make landfall.
Hurricane Newton is heading north-west towards the southern end of the Baja California peninsula with winds of about 75mph (120 km/h).
The
US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Newton could trigger flash floods.
It warned that preparations to protect life and property "should be rushed to completion".
Late on Monday, overcast skies in the Los Cabos municipality gave way to heavy rain and the wind was building in strength.
Twelve shelters opened and motorists queued to fill their cars with fuel ahead of the hurricane's arrival.
The same weather system lashed areas of the south-western state of Guerrero over the weekend before strengthening to a tropical storm.
Torrential rain that began on Saturday caused more than 30 mudslides across the state, forcing main roads to close.
In the resort of Acapulco, floods and landslides affected dozens of homes and schools and about 200 people had to be rescued from a housing complex.
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