Hurricane John to become major storm before slamming Mexico's Pacific coast

PUERTO ESCONDIDO, Mexico (Reuters) -Storm John strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane on Monday and is expected to become a major storm before it crashes into Mexico's Pacific coast, according to the U.S.-based National Hurricane Center.

Hurricane John was blowing winds near 85 mph (137 kph) with higher gusts, the NHC said, and with rapid strengthening forecast. The storm would become a Category 2 hurricane if winds speed up to 96 mph.

John is set to make landfall on Tuesday near resort destination Puerto Escondido, the NHC forecast showed, bringing with it strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and life-threatening flash flooding.

The NHC warned that preparations should be "rushed to completion" to protect life and property as winds will slam the coast as early as Monday evening.

Residents of Puerto Escondido, under a cloudy sky, hurried to tow in boats and put away beach chairs on Monday.

The coastline from Punta Maldonado to Bahias de Huatulco is under a hurricane warning, the NHC said, with a tropical storm warning stretching east to Salina Cruz and west to beach town Acapulco.

Mexican state-run oil company Pemex's largest domestic refinery is in Salina Cruz, while Acapulco was battered by Hurricane Otis last year and recovery efforts are still ongoing.

(Reporting by Diego Ore and Kylie Madry in Mexico City and Fredy Garcia in Puerto Escondido;Editing by Alistair Bell)