The Mexican Consulate in Bermuda has sent his best wishes to compatriots at home as the country braces itself for the impact of a potentially devastating Category 5 hurricane.

Rod Attride-Stirling, Bermuda’s honorary consul of Mexico, told ‘The Royal Gazette’ that the thoughts of the Mexican community in Bermuda were with those in the path of the storm.

“Hurricane Patricia is said to be a Category 5 hurricane and capable of massive destruction,” he said. “We in Bermuda know from personal experience what a hurricane of this intensity and severity can do.

“The Honorary Mexican Consulate in Bermuda would like to take this opportunity to express our best wishes to those in the affected areas.

“The thoughts of the Mexican community in Bermuda and, of course, the broader Bermudian community will be with those people exposed to the storm.”

The storm has been compared with Typhoon Haiyan, which killed 6,300 people in the Philippines in 2013, by the World Meteorological Organisation. A state of emergency has been declared in three states. The Category 5 hurricane was due to make landfall last night.

Mr Attride-Stirling added: “It is our hope that they will stay safe during the storm and come through this in good shape. We wish to thank everyone in Bermuda who has expressed concern for Mexico during this period.”