Hurricane Lidia Leaves 2 Dead in Mexico But Tropical Storm Sean Expected To Hit Soon After

Hurricane Lidia has now dissipated after battering Mexico and leaving two people dead. However, a new storm is brewing as Tropical Storm Sean forms off the Atlantic Ocean and is seen heading westward.

Hurricane Lidia hit Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane, causing rivers to swell and knocking over trees. It made landfall near Puerto Vallarta where it also blew the roofs off houses as its strong winds reached 140 mph (220 kph). It then continued moving inland.

According to the Associated Press, one of the casualties was killed by a falling tree. He died near the northern outskirts of Puerto Villarta. Meanwhile, the other casualty drowned after a river swelled up in Jalisco state. There were also several injuries reported as Hurricane Lidia hit, including two people who sustained injuries soon after the storm made landfall in Puerto Villarta.

However, Hurricane Lidia gradually weakened as its winds went down to 35 mph (57 kph) before dissipating 145 miles (235 kilometers) north-northeast of the city of Guadalajara in Jalisco state. The hurricane remained powerful as it moved inland, blocking highways and forcing Jalisco state officials to open 23 shelters as the storm passed by.

As Latin Post previously reported, Lidia hit soon after Tropical Storm Max also hit the Mexican Pacific Coast. While weaker than Lidia, Max did cause some heavy rain to fall in the area.

Hurricane Lidia Described as 'Extremely Dangerous' Before Dissipating

Before dissipating around Jalisco state, Hurricane Lidia certainly left a trail of destruction in its wake as coastal roads were washed out and trees downed in the state of Nayarit.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that the storm would bring dangerous water levels, flash flooding, and swells on the Pacific coast, and Lidia certainly did so.

According to the BBC, the storm was strong enough to compel Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to deploy 6,000 members of the armed forces to help residents evacuate. He also urged people living in Nayarit and Jalisco states, especially in the areas around Bahia de Banderas, Puerto Vallarta, and Tomatlan, to take precautions.

As the storm battered Puerto Vallarta, residents were forced to take shelter and shopkeepers were forced to board up their windows. They also piled up sandbags in case of flooding. The storm also forced the city's airport to temporarily close down.

Tropical Storm Sean Develops in the Atlantic Ocean

As Mexico's Pacific Coast recovers from Hurricane Lidia and Tropical Storm Max's back-to-back battering, a new storm has formed over the Atlantic and has been officially named as Tropical Storm Sean. It formed in the eastern Atlantic, near Africa, last Wednesday, and the 19th storm to reach tropical storm status during the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.

According to Fox Weather, Tropical Storm Sean is centered more than 800 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. It has sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving west-northwestward at about 13 mph. It is expected to continue on this path over the next few days.

Should the forecasts be correct, Tropical Storm Sean is expected to weaken by next week and then lose its Tropical Storm characteristics.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Mexico faces flooding after Hurricane Lidia, Tropical Storm Max batter coasts - NBC News