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Hurricane Kenna Approaches Mexico
Written by Mason Booth, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Oct. 25, 2002 — Hurricane Kenna, one of the strongest storms to threaten Mexico in more than 10 years, roared towards the country’s Pacific Coast on Friday (Oct. 25). With sustained winds of 145 mph, the strong Category 4 hurricane could potentially cause widespread devastation, warned weather officials.
Hurricane Kenna gained momentum on Thursday (Oct. 24) and was reclassified as a massive Category 5 hurricane. However, as it neared Mexico's coast on Friday, Kenna weakened to a Category 4.
Photo courtesy of NOAA.
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At 8:00 a.m. on Friday, Kenna was located some 75 miles southwest of Tepic, in west central Mexico. With the storm moving in a northeastern path at approximately 19 mph, the center of the hurricane was expected to make landfall later in the day.
A hurricane watch was in effect for a 200-mile area between Cabo Corrientes and the tourist center of Mazatlan, and a tropical storm watch extended another 125 miles southeast from Cabo Corrientes to Manzanillo.
Kenna was expected to miss the Baja California Peninsula, where world leaders were gathering for a summit on Friday.
Hurricane Kenna first appeared as a tropical depression South of Acapulco, Mexico on Monday. Within 12 hours, Kenna had gained momentum and was reclassified as a tropical storm that forecasters predicted would strengthen significantly within the next two days. On Wednesday, Kenna officially became a hurricane, with winds surpassing 74 mph.
Although the storm continued to grow, reaching its peak as a Category 5 hurricane, with sustained winds of 160 mph, it weakened on Friday as it neared Mexico’s Pacific Coast and was reclassified as a Category 4.
As the storm approached, weather officials warned of potentially catastrophic damages, particularly from high winds and storm surge. Torrential rains could also pose a serious threat, particularly over higher terrains, where downpours could trigger flash floods and landslides.
More than 10,000 residents and fishermen in 30 coastal communities surrounding Mazatlan were evacuated on Thursday. Soldiers and civil authorities also closed all schools and docks in the potentially affected region.
Further south, authorities evacuated another 15,000 residents from communities built along rivers and hillsides in preparation for potential flooding and landslides.
Local officials and the Mexican Red Cross are closely monitoring Kenna’s movements and are preparing disaster response operations. The Mexican Red Cross is prepared for the arrival of Kenna and has carried out an inventory of goods and supplies available in the region, together with volunteer numbers in branches in areas which could potentially be affected. From Mexico City, three trailers with 75 tonnes of relief supplies including food, water, clothing and medicine have been sent to Jalisco branch. The National Society has an agreement with the chain store, Walmark, for the setting up of collection centres for relief supplies, should this prove necessary. In the Manzanillo branch, 10 tonnes of food and water are available which had been prepared for assistance in Yucatán.
Meanwhile, American Red Cross is deploying an International Response Team (IRT) member on Saturday to the region and American Red Cross personnel in Mexico are meeting with the Mexican Red Cross to monitor the situation in country.
Personnel from the American Red Cross have been working on hurricane relief efforts in Mexico since last month, when Hurricane Isidore roared into the country, destroying thousands of homes in the states of Yucatan, Campeche, and Chiapas.
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All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help those affected by this crisis and countless others around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
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