Hurricane Patricia soaks Mexico
Municipal workers collect branches from a flooded street in Manzanillo, Colima state, Mexico on Friday, October 23, 2015, during Hurricane Patricia.
One of the most powerful storms on record, Hurricane Patricia struck Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday with destructive winds that tore down trees, moved cars and forced thousands of people to flee homes and beachfront resorts.
At its peak a Category 5 storm, Patricia prompted authorities on Mexico's Pacific coast to evacuate villagers, close ports and urge tourists to cancel trips over fears of a catastrophe.
Hurricane Patricia
Hurricane Patricia, at its peak a Category 5 storm, is seen approaching the coast of Mexico in a NASA picture taken from the International Space Station October 23, 2015.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center called Patricia the strongest eastern north Pacific hurricane on record, though it weakened significantly after it made landfall on Friday.
Hurricane Patricia
View of a street in Manzanillo, Colima state, Mexico on October 23, 2015, during hurricane Patricia.
Hurricane Patricia
A man takes pictures of the surf on the beach in Acapulco, October 23, 2015, as Mexico scrambled to prepare as Hurricane Patricia, one of the strongest storms ever recorded.
Hurricane Patricia
An employee boards up the windows of a store as Hurricane Patricia approaches the Pacific beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Tourists who arrived from Puerto Vallarta eat in a corridor of a hotel in Guadalajara, Mexico, on October 23, 2015. With winds of 160 miles per hour, the Category 5 hurricane had western Mexico on high alert, with the popular resort of Puerto Vallarta and others on the coast opening emergency shelters as hotels were closed.
Hurricane Patricia
People walk under the rain during the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Mexican soldiers patrol streets during the arrival of hurricane Patricia in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on October 23 ,2015. Hurricane Patricia prompted authorities to evacuate villagers, close ports and urge tourists to cancel trips over fears of a catastrophe. The U.S. National Hurricane Center called Patricia the strongest eastern north Pacific hurricane on record.
Hurricane Patricia
Children, who were evacuated from their homes, are pictured at the University of Puerto Vallarta, which is being used as a shelter, in the Pacific beach resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico on October 23. 2015.
Hurricane Patricia struck Mexico's Pacific coast as a potentially catastrophic Category 5 storm on Friday, as one of the most powerful hurricanes in history threatened to wreak widespread damage and prompted mass evacuations.
Patricia made landfall at Playa Perula in the state of Jalisco, Mexico's meteorological service said.
Hurricane Patricia
Residents get into a public bus in the rain in Guadalajara, Mexico October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia, one of the most powerful storms on record, struck Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday with destructive winds that tore down trees, moved cars and forced thousands of people to flee homes and beachfront resorts.
Hurricane Patricia
Residents protect themselves from the rain outside a bus station in Guadalajara, Mexico October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia, one of the most powerful storms on record, struck Mexico's Pacific coast on Friday with destructive winds that tore down trees, moved cars and forced thousands of people to flee homes and beachfront resorts.
Hurricane Patricia
Two men sit out by the beach as Hurricane Patricia nears the Pacific resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Thursday, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia, at its peak the strongest ever in the Western Hemisphere, made landfall in southwestern Mexico, October 23, 2015. Mexico declared a state of emergency in dozens of municipalities ahead of the storm.
Hurricane Patricia
People walks past a shop with the windows taped in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in Puerto Vallarta, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia struck Mexico's Pacific coast as a monster Category 5 storm, but quickly weakened to a Category 1.
Hurricane Patricia
A fisherman checks his boat in Acapulco, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Mexican and international tourists board a bus to a shelter as the area braces for the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in Puerto Vallarta, October 23, 2015.
Teams of police and civil protection urged people in Puerto Vallarta to evacuate ahead of the storm making landfall.
Hurricane Patricia
Mexican and international tourists wait for buses to a shelter ahead of Hurricane Patricia, in Puerto Vallarta, October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
View of a street at Boca de Pascuales community as residents are evacuated by local authorities before the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in Mexico's Colima State, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Tourists watch as waves hit the shore in Acapulco, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Residents of Boca de Pascuales in Colima State, prepare to be evacuated on October 22, 2015, before the arrival of Hurricane Patricia.
Hurricane Patricia
A worker moves a table and stacks chairs at a seaside restaurant in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in the Pacific resort city of Puerto Vallarta, October 22, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
Residents prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Patricia by filling sand bags to protect beachfront businesses, in Puerto Vallarta, October 23, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia
People line up to buy food and water before the arrival of Hurricane Patricia in Puerto Vallarta on October 23, 2015.