Hurricane Polo unleashes threatening winds as it approaches Mexico

Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, Flooding has already started in parts of Baja California Sur

Hurricane Polo is lashing the northern Pacific coast of Mexico with intense winds as it moves ashore with the threat of life-threatening flash floods.

The powerful category three storm, with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph (185 km/h), is expected to make landfall on Monday evening over the state of Baja California Sur, a region popular with tourists and home to the resort destination of Los Cabos.

Meteorologists at the US-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) have warned that life-threatening winds and flash foods had begun to hit portions of the region

Residents boarded up homes and businesses and stocked up on essentials such as drinking water and food as the storm approached.