Mexico has been hit by Hurricane Ernesto sending thousands of residents and tourists into shelters.
As it hit the Yucatan peninsula, tourists were evacuated from beach-front hotels in Chetumal – the southern part of the state known for its scuba diving and eco-tourism attractions, reports Reuters.
They were moved to shelters up the coast in Tulum.
Cancun was affected by heavy rain but tourism officials said they were not evacuating the tourist area.
Hotel staff had removed deck chairs, tables and other potential projectiles from the beaches.
One cruise ship that was due to dock at Cozumel had to cancel its visit and another was diverted to Veracruz, in the Gulf of Mexico.
Ernesto had top sustained winds of 85 miles per hour and is forecast to re-emerge in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
