Hurricane Zeta causes torrential rains and strong winds in Quintana Roo

The intense rains and strong winds from Hurricane Zeta are beginning to be felt on the island of Cozumel, in Quintana Roo.

The island, along with six other municipalities, are waiting for the category 1 phenomenon to make landfall in the next few hours.

Meanwhile, they remain on red alert, the maximum danger range.

The population is under a curfew, behind bricked up or taped windows.

Civil Protection of Quintana Roo has asked the population to seek shelter if they consider that their home is not safe.

The National Meteorological Service (SMN) estimates Zeta will leave torrential rains in Quintana Roo and Yucatán throughout the night this Monday and winds of more than 130 kilometers per hour.

Rainfall will be intense in Campeche and Tabasco, as well as in the Cayman Islands and parts of Cuba with possible flooding in urban areas.

The swell in the northeast of the Yucatan Peninsula could reach seven meters in height.

In Cancun, the effects of the phenomenon are beginning to be felt.

Karol, a local resident, has detailed that, for the moment, it is cloudy and the winds feel stronger.

"The air is beginning to be felt and the windows begin to cry," he details in reference to the noise the wind makes as it sneaks through the slots, which he describes as "the screams of horror movies."

He acknowledges that there are people who have started shopping at the supermarket and filling the pantry with provisions, since a few weeks ago Hurricane Delta cut off the electricity supply for several days.

“Those of us who have lived in Cancun for years are very calm because we consider that the storm will not be dangerous.

Those who just came and passed Delta recently who were without electricity and services for several days are making panic purchases again and very anxious about the situation, "he said.

In Yucatán, classes and work activity have been suspended and Governor Mauricio Vila has asked the population to follow the recommendations issued by the authorities in real time.

"Given the eminence of the arrival of the phenomenon, we ask the population not to make unnecessary exits," he stressed.

Some families from the coast, in San Felipe and Río Lagartos, have been evacuated to the interior in Panabá and Tizimín to minimize risks.

In addition, throughout the State maritime navigation has been closed.

Very strong gusts of wind in #Cozumel due to hurricane #Zeta @vivoencozumel pic.twitter.com/Qwz3wgT4hC

- Geophysicist 🍂🍁 (@ChaacTlaloc) October 27, 2020

The governor of Quintana Roo, Carlos Joaquín González, has asked the population through social networks to remain calm and do not buy food in bulk in supermarkets, given the wave of concern about the memory of the damage of Hurricane Delta .

González has reported on Twitter that evacuations are being carried out at Banco Chinchorro, in Othón P. Blanco, Punta Allen, in Tulum, as well as on María Elena Island and Punta Herrero, in Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

The governor has indicated that Zeta will remain over Quintana Roo for six to seven hours.

Work activities have been suspended as of 2:00 p.m. in the municipalities of Tulum, Lázaro Cárdenas, Solidaridad, Puerto Morelos, Benito Juárez, Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.

For now, the governor has ruled out evacuating tourists, and the Cancun airport will continue with its normal activity.

However, González has called for visitors to the city to stay in their hotels and stay away from the beaches.

The local government has asked the population to stay at home from 4:00 p.m. to avoid accidents.

#Zeta is already a category one hurricane.

((Warning)) It is reported that the tropical storm #Zeta intensified to a category one hurricane, located 170 km from the coast of Quintana Roo, presenting winds of 130 km / h.

Citizens are asked to stay in their homes due to their proximity.

pic.twitter.com/tmhW4RFpyk

- State Coordination of Civil Protection QRoo (@ProtCivil_QRoo) October 26, 2020

Authorities estimate that Zeta will maintain its hurricane status as it approaches the US coast through the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, where it could disrupt oil production.

The BP company has evacuated its workers from its plants in the territory.

Following the passage of Hurricane Delta three weeks ago, Zeta is the 29th phenomenon to hit this region in an unusually intense hurricane season.

Delta, which made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane, left several broken glass, downed trees and power outages from transformers falling to the ground.

Just a few days earlier, Tropical Storm Gamma left at least six people dead and some 600,000 affected by floods throughout southern Mexico.