ACAPULCO, Mexico >> Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened Wednesday afternoon into a potent Category 2 storm as it churned toward Mexico’s southern coast amid warnings it was likely to become a dangerous major hurricane that would threaten the region with damaging winds, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The hurricane’s maximum sustained winds had risen by early afternoon to 110 mph as the intensifying storm headed toward an expected landfall sometime Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Erick was centered about 85 miles south of Puerto Ángel, the latest advisory said.

The storm’s projected path would take its center near the resort of Acapulco, devastated in October 2023 by Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane that rapidly intensified and caught many unprepared. At least 52 people died in Otis and 32 were missing, after the storm severely damaged almost all of the resort’s hotels.

In Acapulco Wednesday, there was a strong presence of National Guard and police in the streets, but most visible were trucks from the national power company. Crews worked to clear drainage canals and brush.

Some beaches were already closed, but tourists continued to sunbathe on others.

On a beach in Acapulco, a line of people waited for the help of a backhoe to pull their boats out of the water.

Adrián Acevedo Durantes, 52, hauls tourists around Acapulco’s picturesque coastline in boats. Two of his boats sank in Hurricane Otis and a third was badly damaged.

“We’re taking precautions because with Otis we never expected one of that magnitude to come and now with climate change the water is warmer and the hurricanes are more powerful,” Acevedo said.

This time the port administration ordered that no one ride out the storm aboard their boats. During Otis many lost their lives by staying on boats in the harbor, which had traditionally been how they ensured their safety during previous storms. He said knew some of those lost at sea.