Hurricane Polo triggers huge waves in coastal Mexican city

Hurricane Polo swirled menacingly along the southern Mexican coast on Thursday, triggering towering waves in a Pacific port city.

Residents of Lazaro Cardenas hurriedly stacked sandbags along the shoreline to protect seaside homes and businesses threatened by Hurricane Polo, which is not expected to make landfall.

Strong swells and pounding rain overpowered their defenses on Wednesday, however, and cracks ran through some building facades.

"Our buildings have been falling apart," seaside hotel owner Concepcion Lopez told AFP.

Hurricane Polo reached maximum Category 5 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale on Wednesday, and was still active about 240 kilometers (150 miles) off the coast of Guerrero state.

Authorities said it was heading north towards Michoacan state, where Lazaro Cardenas is located.

Mexico has deployed 1,700 troops to Michoacan, and armed soldiers were guarding the beach at Lazaro Cardenas.

In another coastal hotel, the crashing waves destroyed one of two swimming pools.

More flooding "is wrecking the other one; it's also reaching my kitchen," said owner Gudelia Ochoa. "We're holding on to hope that it won't hurt us too much."

Torrential rain and winds of between 70 and 90 kilometers per hour are forecast along parts of Mexico's Pacific Coast, as well as waves of at least six to eight meters in height.