Hurricane Cristina strengthens as it moves away from Mexico

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hurricane Cristina strengthened into a category 2 hurricane late on Wednesday as it moved away from Mexico's Pacific coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, according to Reuters.

Cristina was located 230 miles (370 kilometers) southwest of the port of Manzanillo, with maximum sustained winds of 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour), the NHC said.

Cristina was moving away from Mexico at 6 miles per hour, the NHC said, warning the hurricane could strengthen in the coming days.

"Swells generated by Cristina are affecting portions of the southwestern coast of Mexico," the NHC said. "These swells will likely continue into Thursday and could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions."

Mexican authorities warned of waves of up to four meters along the country's Pacific coast, with up to 75 millimeters of rain.