Hurricane Erick slammed into Mexico's Pacific coast as a powerful category three storm Thursday, prompting tourists and locals to seek shelter amid warnings of widespread flooding and landslides.

In the southern state of Oaxaca, residents along the palm-fringed coast boarded up shops and sought refuge from winds of up to 205 kilometers (125 miles) an hour.

"Better to make sure now rather than have any regrets later," said 55-year-old fishman Adalberto Ruiz, as he tied up boats inland and stashed away loose items before the coming storm.

The slow-rolling hurricane is expected to weaken significantly as it moves over land, but authorities are warning it could still cause significant damage.

Heavy rainfall could cause "life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain"  the US National Hurricane Center said.

A "life-threatening storm surge" was expected to cause coastal flooding near where the storm made landfall. 

"Erick is expected to rapidly weaken over the mountains of Mexico, and the system is likely to dissipate tonight or early Friday," the center's advisory added.

Mexican authorities said they were also expecting heavy rain in the southernmost state of Chiapas.

President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters.

"Contact is being maintained with the defense forces and the Navy, which are in the area" she said. "We will be able to report in a few hours what the effects on these populations are."

In Acapulco, a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife, police with bullhorns walked the beach and drove around town warning residents and holidaymakers of the storm's arrival.

Some shops boarded up their windows and operators of tourist boats brought their vessels ashore.

Rainfall began in the late afternoon after a sunny day on Wednesday. 

About 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Acapulco, the city of Puerto Escondido and its 30,000 inhabitants braced for the hurricane's fury. 

Restaurants were already closed even though some tourists insisted on staying to enjoy their vacation, an AFP journalist observed.

Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of civil protection, said the government was using patrols and social media to warn people.

Some 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers have been deployed to help with any clean-up efforts.

Local authorities have suspended classes and closed ports along the coast, including the port of Acapulco, to shipping.

Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.

In October 2023, Acapulco was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed at least 50 people.

Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit Acapulco in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.