Hurricane Polo, a Category 5 Threat, Bears Down on Mexico's Pacific Coast

Hurricane Polo has intensified into one of the most powerful Pacific cyclones recorded in decades, and forecasters expect it to skirt Mexico's southwestern coast as a Category 5 storm.

The system has put coastal communities on edge, coming after several years in which powerful cyclones have repeatedly struck the region. Beaches emptied and dark clouds gathered over rough seas, while authorities suspended classes in a number of areas on Tuesday.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Polo was an "extremely dangerous" storm on Tuesday night, with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph (265 kph). Its center lay about 210 miles (338 kilometers) south of Zihuatanejo.

In Acapulco, some young men ignored warnings about hazardous ocean conditions and practiced skimboarding. Accountant and surfer Josefino Rivera described the sea as exceptionally dangerous.

"Right now, Hurricane Polo has come with a lot of force, a lot of intensity," he said. "There are waves up to 4 or 5 meters with a rip current, it's extremely dangerous."

Juan José García Viviano, a taxi driver for 20 years, said residents in vulnerable areas should take no chances.

"We are truly worried about what's coming right now at this moment," he said. "And now, the people who live in the streams, those who live in the ravines, need to be more cautious. They need to leave that place to prevent anything worse from happening, a tragedy in the family."

Farther northwest, in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, residents filled sandbags as waves battered beachside restaurants. Concepción López Villegas, who teaches traditional cuisine, was preparing her seaside business for the worst.

"We're worried and trying to protect our businesses," she said. "And of course, we're sad because it's our heritage. It belongs to us and the thought that we could lose it overnight is devastating."

Mexico's navy closed ports in Guerrero and Michoacán. The hurricane center warned that heavy rain could trigger flash flooding and mudslides, with 3 to 6 inches (8 to 15 centimeters) forecast for those two states.

Polo was expected to begin a slow turn northwest before moving generally west-northwest over the Pacific in the following days.