Hurricane Odile intensified to category four Sunday morning as it neared the Baja California Peninsula in northwest Mexico, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The hurricane is moving at 24 kilometers per hour towards the north and northwest of Mexico. By 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, Odile was 315 kilometers from the city of Manzanillo in the western state of Colima.
Odile has registered powerful winds of up to 217 kilometers per hour, and these may worsen as it closes in on the peninsula. Heavy rains and high waves are expected on Mexico's western shores.
According to the Mexican Meteorological System, Odile will affect nine Mexican states, and the NHC added that some parts of the country may see rainfall of up to 38 centimeters.
Mexican authorities asked citizens to stay informed and take necessary precautions, as a category four hurricane can have potentially disastrous consequences.
Meanwhile, hundreds of tourists began leaving Cabos San Lucas, said Renato Mendonca, president of Los Cabos Hotels Association as hurricane Odile nears the tourist city.
Mendonca said that hotels located at the beach are also transferring guests with ocean views. Smaller hotels are closing.
Local authorities said there are currently about 25,000 tourists in Los Cabos and warned that the city airport might close this afternoon.