State of emergency in Mexico due to hurricane Patricia

- The hurricane heading for the west coast of Mexico has become a hurricane late Thursday of the fifth category. That's the hardest type there is. The authorities have declared a state of emergency.

Patricia hurricane may be accompanied by gusts of up to 260 kilometers per hour. The storm is currently over 300 kilometers from the southwestern port city of Manzanillo. Patricia probably come in the early hours of Saturday ashore in Mexico, but is expected to be mitigated.

The coasts of the provinces of Guerrero, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco should take account of heavy rain and waves up to 4 meters high. The authorities have warned the population to landslides and flooding.