MONTERREY, Mexico, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Hurricane Pamela gathered strength on Tuesday as it barreled toward the western coast of Mexico, with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicting it will further increase in power before crashing into the fertile farming region of Sinaloa.
As of 8 a.m. ET, the storm packed maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 kph), with the NHC predicting "steady to rapid strengthening" of the hurricane before reaching land at almost major hurricane strength early on Wednesday.
The storm was expected to trigger "life-threatening surf and rip current conditions" in Baja California, as well as heavy rainfall in the states of Sinaloa and Durango, the NHC said.
"This rainfall may trigger significant and life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides," the NHC added. (Reporting by Laura Gottesdiener in Monterrey; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Chizu Nomiyama)
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