Photos: Hurricane Ernesto bearing down on Yucatan peninsula, Mexico

Posted Aug 07, 2012

CANCUN, Mexico—Hundreds of tourists evacuated beach resorts along Mexico’s Caribbean coast as Hurricane Ernesto headed toward a Tuesday night landfall near Mexico’s border with Belize, bringing the threat of powerful winds and torrential rains. Ernesto strengthened from a tropical storm earlier in the day, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said it had winds of 80 mph (129 kph) by late afternoon and was moving west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph). It was centered about 140 miles (225 kilometers) east of Chetumal, Mexico.

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The beach front of Mahahual is seen as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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View of the beach in Tulum, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012, as Tropical Storm Ernesto brings the threat of hurricane-force winds and torrential rains to the Caribbean coast. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya, though strong rain and winds were likely there, and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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A man walks in a nearly deserted street Mahahual, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 as Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to slam into the Caribbean coast as a hurricane late Tuesday. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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Men push a boat ashore as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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The Valladares family from Mexico City stand near the sea in Tulum, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 as Tropical Storm Ernesto brings the threat of hurricane-force winds and torrential rains to the Caribbean coast. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya, though strong rain and winds were likely there, and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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A man boards up a store as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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A woman walks in the rain as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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Tourists leave the area as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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People board up a store as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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Men push a boat ashore as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula, in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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Men remove sun huts from the beach as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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People wait to be evacuated as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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A woman and her children wait to board a bus for their evacuation as Hurricane Ernesto approaches the southern part of the Yucatan peninsula in Mahahual August 7, 2012. Ernesto strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday just hours before making landfall in Mexico. Hurricane warnings were extended northwards to the resort island of Cozumel from Chetumal and include the entire coast of low-lying Belize. REUTERS/Victor Ruiz
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A view of the coast in Mahahual, Mexico, Mahahual, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 as Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to slam into the Caribbean coast as a hurricane late Tuesday. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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Residents arrive at a shelter in Mahahual, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 as Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to slam into the Caribbean coast as a hurricane late Tuesday. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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Police evacuate residents in Mahahual, Mexico, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2012 as Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to slam into the Caribbean coast as a hurricane late Tuesday. The heart of the storm was expected to hit south of Cancun and the Riviera Maya and officials prepared shelters there as a precaution. (AP Photo/Israel Leal)
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CARIBBEAN SEA - AUGUST 7: In this handout photo provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hurricane Ernesto moves west as it makes landfall in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico August 7, 2012 in the in the Caribbean Sea. Ernesto, which was strengthened to hurricane status, has top sustained winds of 80 miles per hour. (Photo by NOAA via Getty Images)