Hurricane Erick strengthened in the Pacific Ocean and could become a major hurricane before striking Mexico, the National Hurricane Center warned.

Hurricane Erick strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday afternoon as it churns in the Pacific Ocean near coastal southern Mexico, forecasters said. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Erick had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph).

Hurricane Erick, which rapidly intensified overnight, made landfall Thursday morning on Mexico's Pacific Coast as a powerful Category 3 storm, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Erick came ashore in Mexico's western state of Oaxaca packing sustained winds of 125 mph and heavy rain,