Residents along Mexico's southern Pacific coast have been urged to safeguard themselves from potential flooding and storm surges. Hurricane John struck the region as a Category 3 storm, making landfall on the southern Pacific coast of Mexico.

Hurricane John struck Mexico's southern Pacific coast late Monday as a Category 3 storm, according to the U.S.-based National Hurricane Center (NHC). The hurricane made landfall near Marquelia in Guerrero state, packing maximum sustained winds of about 120 miles (195 kilometers) per hour.

The NHC reported that "damaging hurricane-force winds, life-threatening storm surge, and flash flooding are ongoing." The storm is expected to bring "extraordinary" rainfall to areas of Oaxaca and Guerrero, as per Mexico's national water commission, Conagua.

The NHC further cautioned that the torrential rains could result in "significant and possibly catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides" in the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, and southeast Guerrero, continuing through Thursday.

In response, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has urged the public to seek shelter as the country's top disaster agency issued a red alert for parts of Guerrero and neighboring Oaxaca. "Remember, life is the most important thing—material possessions can be replaced," the president advised in a social media post.

Local authorities have also warned coastal residents to take precautions against deadly storm surges and heavy rainfall. Schools in parts of Oaxaca and Guerrero have been closed in anticipation of the storm.