Hurricane Manuel barrels northward

Hurricane Manuel formed on Wednesday (September 18) and churned towards Mexico's Baja California Sur, sparking heavy rain and flooding roads in the upscale resort city of Los Cabos.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Centre (NHC), Tropical Storm Manuel strengthened to a hurricane on the Pacific coast and is heading north.

Earlier this week, Manuel shut down Acapulco's international airport and sparked deadly floods and landslides in Guerrero state, leaving about 40,000 tourists stranded.

Not taking any chances, authorities in the state of Baja California Sur are preparing to evacuate people from flood-prone areas.

With the NHC reporting Manuel is now a hurricane, authorities have set up emergency shelters across the state.

Baja California is largely sparsely populated desert and mountains but the region is popular with U.S. camper van enthusiasts, nature lovers, surfers, sports fishermen and retirees.

Much of Mexico was reeling from twin storms