Norbert hits hurricane strength off Mexico

MEXICO CITY: Tropical Storm Norbert surged to hurricane strength late Wednesday off Mexico's Pacific coast, forecasters said.

At 0300 GMT, Norbert was churning 335 kilometers (205 miles) south of the southern tip of Baja California peninsula, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

Norbert packed maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour while moving northwest at 13 kilometers (eight miles) per hour.

"The center of Norbert is expected to approach the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula on Thursday and move nearly parallel to the Pacific coast of the peninsula on Friday," the NHC warned.

Last year, Mexico was simultaneously struck by a pair of hurricanes, Ingrid and Manuel, on both coasts, killing 157 people, destroying bridges and burying most of a mountain village in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero.