Powerful Hurricane John roared toward one of Mexico's most exclusive beach resorts on Friday, forcing hundreds of foreign tourists to flee ahead of howling winds, angry seas and lashing rain.
Five-star hotels set up refugee shelters for mostly US guests who abandoned plans to play golf, swim or go boating at the Los Cabos resort in Baja California.
John picked up power overnight to become a dangerous category 3 storm and was expected to brush the corner of the peninsula to the west of Los Cabos later in the day.
Rescue workers evacuated hundreds of residents from low-lying areas to temporary shelters and said they may send more away from the danger area. Many vacationers took no chances and flew home, creating long lines at Los Cabos airport.
Others hunkered down in their hotels.
At 8 am EDT (1200 GMT), the US National Hurricane Center said John was 100 miles (160 km) south-east of Los Cabos and moving north-west at 10 mph (16 kph) with sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph). Rainfall of 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25 cm), with isolated deluges of 18 inches (45 cm), was possible over southern Baja California and along Mexico's west coast, it said. After hitting the resort, John was expected to bounce back into the Pacific, posing no threat to the United States.
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