WORLD
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
East Oregonian
Page 7A
Category 3 Hurricane Willa packs 120 mph winds
By MARCO UGARTE
Associated Press
MAZATLAN, Mexico
— Hurricane Willa swept
onto Mexico’s Pacific
mainland with 120 mph
winds Tuesday evening,
threatening a major resort
area along with fishing vil-
lages and farms after roar-
ing over an offshore penal
colony.
The U.S. National Hurri-
cane Center said in an eve-
ning bulletin that the eye
of the dangerous Category
3 storm was about to make
landfall, and little variation
in strength was expected
beforehand.
It warned people not to
venture outside during “the
relative calm of the eye,
since hazardous winds will
suddenly increase” as it
passes.
The storm’s core was hit-
ting a stretch of coast about
50 miles south of Mazatlan,
a resort city that is home to
high-rise hotels and about
500,000 people, including
many U.S. and Canadian
expatriates.
Alberto
Hernandez,
a hotel worker in Teaca-
pan, close to where the
storm was making landfall,
expressed confidence that
the building would hold up.
He and his son, who also
works at the hotel, were
staying on the job, though
the rest of his family had
left the area.
“We’ve had rain all
day. There is nobody in
the streets. Everything is
closed,” Hernandez said.
“But not everyone wanted
to leave, even though
authorities made it clear
that he who stays does so at
his own peril.”
Torrential rains began
in the afternoon, and emer-
gency officials said they
evacuated more than 4,250
people in coastal towns and
set up 58 shelters ahead of
the dangerous storm.
The storm also battered
the Islas Marias, a group
AP Photo/Marco Ugarte
Tourists from Oregon play cards as they wait out Hurricane Willa in a temporary shelter, in Mazatlan, Mexico, on
Tuesday. Willa was headed toward a collision with a stretch of Mexico’s Pacific coast, its strong winds and high
waves threatening high-rise resorts, surfing beaches and fishing villages.
AP Photos/Marco Ugarte
Left: Clouds move in over Mazatlan, Mexico, on Tuesday before the arrival of Hurricane Willa. Willa was headed
toward a collision with a stretch of Mexico’s Pacific coast, its strong winds and high waves threatening high-rise
resorts, surfing beaches and fishing villages. Right: A surfer rides a wave in Mazatlan, Mexico, on Tuesday before
the arrival of Hurricane Willa.
of Mexican islands about
60 miles off the main-
land that include a nature
preserve and a federal
prison. Federal authori-
ties declined to comment
on precautions that were
taken at the prison, citing
security concerns.
As Willa closed in, the
beach in Mazatlan almost
disappeared, with waves
slamming
against
the
coastal boulevard under
looming black clouds. A
few surfers took advan-
tage of the high waves
even as workers boarded
up windows on hotels,
shops and homes. Schools
were closed and the streets
nearly empty.
Some families went to a
Mazatlan convention cen-
ter, which opened its doors
as a shelter. They spread
out blankets along the walls
and waited for the storm.
“The house we’re liv-
ing in is not well built,”
said Sergio Ernesto Meri
Franco, who rents a studio
apartment.
The federal government
issued a decree of “extraor-
dinary emergency” for 19
municipalities in Nayarit
and Sinaloa states.
Bob Swanson, who is
from Saskatchewan, Can-
ada, and spends two to six
months of the year in his
house in the Cerritos neigh-
borhood near the shore in
Mazatlan, said he filled
his washing machine with
water, filled his home fuel
tank and gassed up his car
in case he needs to head into
the mountains for safety.
“I’m kind of waiting
with bated breath,” he said
over the phone, adding that
he was sitting on his porch
and smoking a cigarette.
Hurricane-force winds
extended 35 miles from
Willa’s center, and tropical
storm-force winds were felt
up to 115 miles out.
Forecasters said the hur-
ricane could bring 6 to 12
inches of rain — with up to
18 inches in some places —
to parts of Jalisco, Nayarit
and Sinaloa states, with
flash flooding and land-
slides possible in mountain-
ous areas.
Farther to the south,
the remnants of Tropi-
cal Storm Vicente contin-
ued to bring heavy rain that
caused deadly flooding and
mudslides. Federal disas-
ter agency chief Luis Felipe
Puente said 11 people died
as a result of Vicente. Local
officials earlier put the fig-
ure at 12.
FREE
EVENT!
Veterans are twice as likely as civilians to die by suicide, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. They make up more
than 14 percent of all suicides, although they account for only 8 percent of the total population.
Suicide is a subject many are afraid to talk about or even acknowledge. But how do we not talk about one of the leading causes of death? Each year, suicides claim the lives of 44,000
people in the United States alone. It’s the third leading cause of death for children between ages 10 and 14, and the second leading cause of death for people between 15 and 34.
CALL MORROW COUNTY VETERANS SERVICES FOR MORE INFORMATION 541-922-6420
PROTECTIVE FACTORS
Protective factors are characteristics that make a person less likely to engage in
suicidal behavior. Moreover, protective factors can promote resilience and ensure
connectedness with others during difficult times, thereby making suicidal behaviors
less likely.
• Effective clinical care for mental, physical and substance use disorders
• Easy access to a variety of clinical interventions
• Restricted access to highly lethal means of suicide
• Strong connections to family and community support
• Support through ongoing medical and mental health care relationships
• Skills in problem solving, conflict resolution and handling problems in a
non-violent way
• Cultural and religious beliefs that discourage suicide and support
self-preservation
Warning Signs
WARNING
SIGNS
• The warning signs of suicide are indicators that a person may be in acute
danger and may urgently need help.
• Talking about wanting to die or to kill oneself;
• Looking for a way to kill oneself;
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose;
• Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain;
• Talking about being a burden to others;
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs;
• Acting anxious, agitated, or reckless;
• Sleeping too little or too much;
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated;
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge; and
• Displaying extreme mood swings.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call
1-800-833-1161
1-800-273-8255
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free
and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and
crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices
for professionals.
OR Text SIGNS to 741741 for 24/7,
anonymous, free crisis counseling.
VETERANS:
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or you’re concerned about one, responders at
the Veterans Crisis Line text-messaging service (text to 838255) offer
help that can make a difference. Caring, qualified VA responders are
standing by to provide free and confidential support — 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, 365 days a year — even if you’re not registered with VA or
enrolled in VA health care.
Responders will work with you to get through any personal crisis.
Privacy Policy-The Veterans Crisis Line text-messaging service does not
store mobile phone numbers of users who access information via text
message (SMS). We do not collect any personally identifiable information
about users without their permission. Any personally identifiable
information collected with the user’s consent will never be shared with
other users of the system nor will they be distributed outside the system,
unless required by law.
Message Rates-The Veterans Crisis Line text-messaging service does
not charge for texting to 838255. Message and data rates may apply.
Call 911 or the emergency service in your country if you see or
hear the following:
• Someone threatening to hurt or kill him/herself or talking about wanting to die.
• Especially if the person has a weapon or item to hurt himself/herself.
• Searching for ways to kill him/herself by seeking access to lethal means-
whether that is online or physically in the moment of despair.
• Someone talking, writing, or posting on social media about death and suicide
when these actions are out of the ordinary for the person.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, Domestic Violence Services, Community Counseling
Services, Walla Walla VA Medical Center, Columbia River Health Care, Morrow County
Health District, Boardman Senior Center, Tillamook Creamery and others.