Residents of Mexico’s central Pacific coast are bracing for impact from Hurricane Patricia, a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 200 mph. The U.S. National Hurricane Center, tracking the storm, reports that Patricia is “the strongest hurricane ever recorded."

“We have pre-positioned items for emergency response like blankets, tarpaulins, kitchen kits, and bottled water,” says World Vision Emergency Director Alejandro Garciacano in Mexico City. In a second phase, we will make hygiene kits available. World Vision plans to provide aid through local partners in Mexico, Alejandro says, depending on the government’s determination of needs. “Our priority is children's security,” says Alejandro.