The hurricane season continues, and this time it is Mexico's Gulf Coast bearing the brunt. Hurricane Stan has whipped up winds of 128 kilometers per hour, forcing evacuations and shutting down oil ports.

Although Stan is classified as a category one hurricane, at least 50 people are reported to have been killed in the region.

The storm came ashore southeast of the city of Veracruz, which is in one of Mexico's main coffee growing areas.

When the storm hit Guatemala the resulting floods and mud-slides caused at least two deaths. An estimated 51 centimetres of rain were dumped as Stan crossed the region.

Coastal homes have been flooded by surging tides and government authorities have declared a red alert.

PHOTO CAPTION

A man walks next to a tree that was knocked down by the rains as hurricane Stan in the community of Curazao, state of Veracruz, Mexico on Tuesday Oct. 4, 2005. Mexico. (AP)