Local woman awaits word from father caught in Hurricane Patricia's path



SEATTLE -- Tens of thousands were evacuating coastal communities on the Pacific Coast of Mexico as Hurricane Patricia slammed into the area Friday.

Windelena Lindsay's 84-year-old father, Javier, lives in the state of Jalisco, where the hurricane hit. He is caught in the bulls-eye of what many are calling the strongest Eastern Pacific hurricane ever recorded.

Windelena said her father doesn't have a car or a way to evacuate his home so he plans to wait things out.

"He said, 'Yeah, we will be fine.' He just kept saying that but I’m not convinced," Windelena said.

Sirens were blaring in the popular tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta. Authorities were driving the streets using bullhorns to shout out evacuation orders. Hotels were evacuating guests to safer places to stay because the storm surge is expected to hammer several buildings.

Travel experts are predicting the worst and believe airports might be closed for days. Alaska Airlines announced late Friday afternoon that all flights between Sea-Tac and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, have been canceled for Saturday.

Windelena can only hope to hear from her father soon after the storm passes through the area.

"All we can do is hope and pray that he’s going to be OK," she said.