Category 3 Hurricane Jova is closing in on Mexico’s west coast and is expected to hit the popular holiday city of Puerto Vallarta.

The US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida said that the powerful storm entailed winds of up to 120mph and the centre would be over the Mexican coast by late afternoon or evening on Tuesday. At 22:00 local time on Monday the storm was about 150 miles south of the beach resort of Monzanillo and was headed north and northeast at around 7mph.

Trinidad Lopez, civil protection director for the state of Jalisco said that the number one concern was the welfare of the population in the region. He said that authorities and agencies were doing everything possible to protect the people.

Meanwhile, hotels and major tourist attractions continued prepare for the storm on Monday. One Carnival cruise line destined for Monzanillo instead headed to Cabo San Lucas, according to Joyce Oliva, spokeswoman for the cruise company.

And while some holidaymakers cancelled their plans to visit the region many said they would push on as planned. American Doris Milburn said to reporters as she awaited her departure at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport that her holiday was already paid for and the storm wasn’t going to bother her and her family.