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Red Alert! Authorities upgrade Cancun danger due to Helene trajectory shift

Cancun, Q.R. — UPDATED: The northern regions of Quintana Roo are officially on Red Alert. Early Wednesday, the Government of Quintana Roo announced the increased alert due to the danger presented by storm Helene due to her large size.

The entire northern region is on Red Alert (maximum danger) September 25, 2024.

The Red Alert was issued to due the storm’s cone of uncertainty since Helene continues to meander closer and closer to Quintana Roo land. In a public statement Wednesday morning, the Government of Quintana Roo warned residents of the possibility of Helene actually impacting the region.

“Update! Considering the cone of uncertainty, it is not ruled out that Helene could impact northern Quintana Roo during the morning of September 25 since it is very close to Cancun.

An AccuWeather radar map shows the storm at 9:45 a.m. Cancun time.

“The center of tropical storm Helene is located over the northwest of the Caribbean Sea 65 kms east of Cancun and 100 km east-northeast of Cozumel. It has maximum sustained winds of 110 kms/h, gusts of 140 kms/h and moving northwest at 15 kms/h.

“Its wide circulation will cause torrential rainfall (150 to 200 mm) in Yucatan and Quintana Roo and very strong rainfall (50 to 70 mm) in Campeche, as well as wind gusts of 90 to 110 kms/h and waves of 3 to 5 m high and possible formation of waterspouts on the coasts of Quintana Roo and Yucatan and wind gusts of 40 to 60 kms/h on the coasts of Campeche.

Isla Mujeres and Puerto Morelos issued the Red Alert to residents Wednesday morning. September 25, 2024.

“A hurricane prevention zone is maintained from Cabo Catoche to Tulum, including Cozumel and a tropical storm prevention zone from Río Lagartos, Yucatan, to Cabo Catoche, Quintana Roo.

“The municipalities of Benito Juárez, Isla Mujeres, Cozumel, Lázaro Cárdenas and Puerto Morelos are on Red Alert, the maximum danger phase. An Orange Alert, high danger, remains in effect for the municipalities of Solidaridad, Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

Cancun city crews are seen here dealing with flooding streets and breaking branches ahead of Helene’s official passing early Wednesday. Photo: Mara Lezama September 25, 2024.

“A Yellow Alert, moderate danger, continues for José María Morelos and a Blue Alert, minimum danger, has been issued for the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco,” the Gobierno Quintana Roo posted on social media.

The heightened alert has seen the suspension of Maya Train services. All services with final destinations at the Cancún Airport station will conclude at the Valladolid station instead.

At the Cancun International Airport, flights have also been affected by Helene. By Tuesday night, nearly a dozen flights were either cancelled or delayed due to the pre-stormy weather. Flight information displays inside the airport Wednesday are filled mostly with canceled or delayed flight updates.

Nearly 100 flights have been affected at Cancun International due to Hurricane Helene. Photo: Mara Lezama September 25, 2024.

UPDATE: As of noon Wednesday, nearly 100 flights into the Cancun International Airport have been affected. Local authorities reported the accumulated impacts caused by Hurricane Helene at the Cancun International Airport on September 25. Delays: Nine outgoing and seven incoming flights. Canceled: 34 incoming flights and 35 outgoing flights.

Tourists are seen here sitting on the floor inside Cancun International Wednesday due to delayed and/or cancelled flights.
Photo: Mara Lezama September 25, 2024.

Local taxi drivers around the city of Cancun have suspended services for the day, while ferry routes in Playa del Carmen, Cancun and Holbox remain closed.

On Tuesday, a total of 630 people voluntarily evacuated the island of Holbox prior to the passage of Helene. Paulino García, head of municipal Civil Protection, made the announcement late Tuesday. Ferry services in and out of the Port of Chiquilá are currently suspended.

For those who chose to stay, four emergency shelters have been set up for anyone needing to leave their home. The vacant homes on Holbox are being monitored. Additional state police and military were sent to the island Tuesday prior to the closing of the ferries.

State Police and military personnel were sent to Holbox to monitor homes to prevent looting. Photos: September 24, 2024.

Military personnel are on the island to assist residents as well as prevent looting. They will also stick around to help Potable Water and Sewerage Commission (CAPA) staff, who are equipped with pumps and hoses, drain flooded areas.

Marina remove sargassum nets off a Cancun beach Tuesday. Photo: September 24, 2024.

Navy personnel hit the sea Tuesday to remove the installed anti-sargassum barriers. Marina personnel were seen off several Cancun and Puerto Morelos beach areas taking the nets out of the water prior to the arrival of Helene.

The storm continues to shift her trajectory toward Quintana Roo. Helene will pass the coast until Wednesday afternoon when she will enter the Gulf of Mexico as a category 1 and, according to the National Hurricane Centre, quickly intensify into a major hurricane before making U.S. landfall later this week.