Hurricane Simon pounds Mexico's Pacific coast; Rachel's remnants flood US Southwest

File photo: Damaged homes are seen in Long Beach, Calif., after Tropical Storm Rachel, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Hurricane Simon battered Mexico’s Pacific coast on Monday with heavy rain and strong winds, while the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel left communities flooded in the US Southwest. The weather systems caused deaths, damaged homes and roads, and forced evacuations across affected areas.Simon, a Category 2 hurricane, remained offshore as its outer bands lashed communities near Puerto Vallarta. In Guerrero state, the storm uprooted trees and electricity poles, blocked roads and flooded homes, including in the port city of Acapulco, governor Evelyn Salgado said.Reports claim that five people have died due to the hurricane.The US national hurricane center said Simon was expected to remain a hurricane through midweek before making landfall near Sinaloa on Thursday. Rainfall of 5 to 10 inches (12.7 to 25.4 cm) over west-central Mexico in the coming days could trigger life-threatening floods and mudslides.In Puerto Vallarta, workers removed wooden panels from storefronts and businesses reopened as rainfall eased. However, the international airport suspended operations until Tuesda...