Hurricane Polo fuels fears of landslides in Mexico’s southwest as Nolo closes in on Hawaii

Southwestern Mexico braced for heavy rain and mudslides Wednesday after Polo, a powerful Pacific cyclone, became a major hurricane.

Warning areas and potential impact

Hurricane Polo, an “extremely dangerous” storm, is expected to skirt Mexico’s Guerrero state, submerging coastal areas with 4 to 6 inches of rain through Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Guerrero has been repeatedly pummeled by hurricanes in recent years.

The storm is expected to approach the Big Island as early as Friday and could drop up to 20 inches of rain, raising the possibility of flooding and mudslides.

Concepción López Villegas was busily bolstering her seaside restaurant in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, against the expected onslaught of rain.

Strong waves were already hitting some beaches and López Villegas said she feared the storm could destroy the small business she worked decades to build.

Official warning details

Forecasters also warned another system headed for Hawaii could cause catastrophic flooding later in the week.

Farther out in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Nolo was churning about 305 miles south of South Point, Hawaii.