Hurricane Rick strengthens nearing Mexico's Pacific coast

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Hurricane Rick strengthened a bit Sunday night while heading for Mexico's southern Pacific coast, where is was expected to make landfall Monday.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Rick had winds as high as 90 miles per hour (150 kph) and was expected to hit somewhere around the seaport of Lazaro Cardenas and the resort of Zihuatanejo. Forecasters said the storm's winds and rain could also affect the larger resort of Acapulco to the east.

The hurricane was centered about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south of Zihuatanejo on Sunday evening and was moving north at 5 mph (7 kph).

The center warned that Rick could produce flash floods and mudslides in the mountainous terrain on the coast.

'œDuring its passage over land, it will cause intense to torrential rains and possible mudslides and flooding, as well as rising levels in streams and rivers, in the states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco,'ť Mexico's National Water Commission said in a statement.

The seaport of Lazaro Cardenas said it had opened six emergency shelters for residents who might want to leave low-lying areas. Authorities in Zihuatanejo opened a shelter at the municipal auditorium.

The state of Guerrero, where Zihuatanejo and Acapulco are located, said rains and wind had already knocked over some trees and damaged a road.