Thousands evacuated as hurricane lashes Mexico

More than 2000 people have been evacuated and a fishing village reported severe flooding as Hurricane Norbert swirled off Mexico's Pacific coast, officials said.

The storm increased into a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale according to the US National Weather Service, packing winds of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h) officials said.

The core of the hurricane was gradually moving away from the west coast of the Baja California peninsula and the storm was expected to weaken over the next 48 hours as it moved over increasingly cooler waters, an advisory said.

Heavy rains throughout the region were expected however, with between three and six inches expected over the central and northern regions of the Baja peninsula.

Around 2000 people had flocked to evacuation shelters after the storm lashed coastal communities.

One of the worst hit towns was San Carlos, a fishing village of 7000 people, which suffered severe flooding after levees protecting the community broke.

"In some areas of San Carlos the was one meter high," said Pedro Garza of the Municipal Civil Protection Unit.

Around 500 homes were damaged while some families who refused to leave their properties were forcibly evacuated, he added.