Hurricane unleashes hell on Pacific Coast as streets turn to rivers and violent winds battered homes

Hurricane Polo unleashed torrential rain, destructive waves and violent winds along Mexico’s Pacific coast Tuesday, with dramatic footage showing flooded streets and battered properties.The tempest made its first landfall around 11 p.m.Monday local time along the west coast of Baja California Sur, just south of the small town of Las Barrancas, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm was likely a Category 2 hurricane at landfall, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 90 to 95 knots, or roughly 105 to 110 mph.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story By early Tuesday, Polo had weakened somewhat after moving over land but was still packing hurricane-force winds.At 5 a.m.MST, the storm had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph, with higher gusts, and was located about 65 miles north-northwest of Loreto, according to the NHC.Hurricane-force winds extended as far as 30 miles from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached up to 90 miles.Dramatic footage shared by ABC Eyewitness News showed massive waves surging into a hotel restaurant in Playa Azul, as Polo battered Mexico’s Pacific coastline.Other videos showed powerful surf pounding coastal areas and floodwaters rushing through streets, with vehicles appearing to be pushed or moved by the force of the water.The NHC warned Polo’s heavy rainfall could trigger life-threatening flooding and mudslides, particularly across mountainous terrain.The storm was forecast to dump 6 to 12 inches of rain across portions of Baja California Sur, with another 4 to 6 inches — and isolated totals of up to 8 inches — expected across southern and central Sonora.Polo was moving northeast at about 10 mph early Tuesday and was expected to accelerate significantly as it crossed the Gulf of California.The hurr...