WORLD : Mexico Braces for Hurricane : Diana Grows Into Hurricane, Threatens Mexican Gulf Coast
Tropical Storm Diana became Hurricane Diana early today after picking up strength in the Gulf of Mexico, and warnings went up along a 400-mile stretch of Mexico’s gulf coast.
Hundreds of people fled low-lying areas, fearing Diana’s heavy rains and winds up to 80 m.p.h.
One man was killed when winds blew over a tree Monday night, said Rosalio Romero Hernandez, a spokesman for the Red Cross in Veracruz.
The threatened area included the cities of Veracruz, Tuxpan and Tampico. Ports were closed. Small craft were warned to remain in port from Baffin Bay, Tex., southward.
At midmorning, Diana was centered about 110 miles east-southeast of Tuxpan on the central coast, near 20.5 degrees north latitude and 95.8 degrees west longitude. It was moving west at 12 m.p.h., and Mexican weather officials said it will first hit land in the area of Tuxpan.
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