Monday, July 18, 2005
Hurricane Emily roars ashore near Cancun
25,000 forced into makeshift shelters; storm headed toward Gulf
NBC's Ron Mott reports.
Updated: 9:54 a.m. ET July 18, 2005
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico - Hurricane Emily swept over the Yucatan peninsula early Monday, snapping whole rows of concrete power lines in half, flooding some streets with knee-deep water and shattering ground-floor windows. There were no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries as the Category 2 storm headed for the Gulf of Mexico.
Thousands of local residents and foreign tourists spent the night in improvised shelters set up in hotels along the famous Mayan Riviera coastline, on the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The storm's wind speeds had soared to as much as 135 mph making it a fierce Category 4 storm when it sideswiped Jamaica on Saturday. It had weakened to Category 2 as it passed over land overnight Sunday.
Monday morning, Emily was located over the Yucatan peninsula near Tizimin, or about 50 miles east-northeast of the state capital, Merida, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. The storm was expected to emerge into the Gulf later Monday morning, where it could again gain strength.
Damage from the storm was evident everywhere on the Mayan Riviera, whose white-sand beaches and turquoise waters attract both Mexican and foreign tourists.
NBC's Ron Mott reports.
Updated: 9:54 a.m. ET July 18, 2005
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico - Hurricane Emily swept over the Yucatan peninsula early Monday, snapping whole rows of concrete power lines in half, flooding some streets with knee-deep water and shattering ground-floor windows. There were no immediate reports of deaths or serious injuries as the Category 2 storm headed for the Gulf of Mexico.
Thousands of local residents and foreign tourists spent the night in improvised shelters set up in hotels along the famous Mayan Riviera coastline, on the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The storm's wind speeds had soared to as much as 135 mph making it a fierce Category 4 storm when it sideswiped Jamaica on Saturday. It had weakened to Category 2 as it passed over land overnight Sunday.
Monday morning, Emily was located over the Yucatan peninsula near Tizimin, or about 50 miles east-northeast of the state capital, Merida, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. The storm was expected to emerge into the Gulf later Monday morning, where it could again gain strength.
Damage from the storm was evident everywhere on the Mayan Riviera, whose white-sand beaches and turquoise waters attract both Mexican and foreign tourists.
