Hurricane Jova: Mexican Coast Hit By Category 2 Storm

Hurricane Jova made landfall along Mexico's western coast early Wednesday with sustained winds of 100 miles per hour, which decreased to 75 miles per hour as the storm moved inland.

The National Hurricane Center said Jova would bring a dangerous storm surge as the winds from the storm create huge waves. The three hardest-hit states -- Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco -- could see up to 20 inches of rain.

Jova made landfall as a Category 2 storm near Manzanillo, a resort on the Pacific coast, and is moving north at nine miles per hour toward another resort city, Puerto Vallarta. It knocked down trees and power lines and caused severe flooding in coastal towns and in the mountains.

No deaths had been reported as of 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The mountainous areas along the coast are in particular danger as the storm moves north, because mountains are conducive to flash floods and mudslides.

The governments of the affected states have taken a number of precautions, including canceling classes, ordering mandatory evacuations from coastal areas and opening shelters. The Mexican army has also assigned 1,500 soldiers to the hurricane response efforts.

Jova is the 10th named storm of this year's Pacific hurricane season, which lasts from May 15 to Nov. 20. It is separate from the Atlantic hurricane season, which has had 16 named storms so far this year, including Hurricane Irene in August.