Mexico: East and West coasts hit by severe storms - evacuations begin as hurricane nears land

Mexico's western and eastern coasts are being battered by two severe storms, officials say. More than 5,000 people have been evacuated on the Gulf of Mexico coast ahead of the landfall of Hurricane Ingrid, which already has winds of 120km/h, in the coming days. Tropical Storm Manuel has hit Mexico's western coast, on the Pacific ocean, bringing nearly twice the monthly rainfall in just three days. The worst hit states are reported to be Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Chihuahua, with some road and telecommunications links down. Most of the many thousands who have been evacuated are staying in official shelters while the remainder have seeked refuge with friends and families. Officials say two of Mexico's three major oil-exporting ports are closed, although most of the country's Gulf Coast ports remained open on Saturday as the storm approached. Hurricane Ingrid is expected to deposit between 25cm and 63cm of rain over a large part of eastern Mexico, and will cause rivers to overflow and create flash floods and mudslides.