Hurricane John crept up Mexico's Baja California peninsula on Saturday after blasting the tourist port city of La Paz with wicked winds and torrential rain that knocked out power and flooded streets but caused no deaths.
John flattened trees and electric power poles and sent advertising signs flying overnight in La Paz, popular with tourists, and the capital of Baja California Sur state.
As the rain eased on Saturday, electricity was restored in much of the city of 200,000 people but main streets were ankle-deep in water and the La Paz airport remained closed.
Farther south, the seaside resort of Los Cabos was also flooded and roads out were impassable as muddy rainwater and debris from surrounding hills poured down unpaved streets.
"There was a lot of rain. The windows were shaking pretty good," said Mr Jeff Passama, 27, from San Francisco, who had driven north to La Paz from Cabo San Lucas to try to escape the storm.
"Now we have to figure out how to get out of here," he said, as many abandoned their sport utility vehicles after getting stuck in slushy sand.
After John felled up to 40 power poles in La Paz, authorities cut off the electricity supply to prevent downed wires from electrocuting people, rescue workers said.
"We are happy because we have a clean slate," said state civil protection chief Mr Jose Gajon. "No one was killed."