Mexico places thousands of troops on alert to help when Franklin hits
08:17, 10 August 2017
ASTANA. KAZINFORM Franklin became the first hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic season on Wednesday hours ahead of its expected landfall on the Mexican mainland, EFE cites the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC).
The storm's maximum sustained winds have increased to near 120 kph (75 mph), making it a Category 1 hurricane on the ascending five-step Saffir-Simpson scale, the NHC said in its 2100 GMT advisory.