Cleanup efforts are now underway in areas affected by Hurricane Erick, which rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane just days before making landfall. On June 19, Erick struck the western coast of Mexico, near Punta Maldonado, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, ultimately making landfall as a Category 3 hurricane.
Puerto Econdido was heavily impacted, receiving over 10 inches of rain and seeing boats and debris pushed inland by the storm’s powerful winds. This storm also marked a significant meteorological milestone, as Erick became the first recognized major hurricane to make landfall in Mexico’s Eastern Pacific prior to August since record-keeping began in the late 1950s. The previous record was held by Hurricane Kiko, which landed in the southern Baja Peninsula on August 26, 1989.
Remarkably, Erick developed into the Eastern Pacific’s second hurricane of the season by June 18, occurring nearly a month earlier than the average timing for the second storm of the season, which typically forms by late July according to NOAA statistics.
As cleanup efforts begin, local communities are banding together to address the aftermath and support each other in recovery. The resilience of these communities in the face of natural disasters offers a hopeful perspective, showcasing human strength and determination in rebuilding and moving forward.