In favorable conditions, Liza continued to intensify, reaching hurricane strength on September 28 after developing an eye.

Prior to the arrival of Liza, residents along the Gulf of California coastline were evacuated, although some refused to leave their homes.

Following a dam burst by the El Cajoncito Creek along the outskirts of La Paz, hundreds of people were swept away by flood waters.

Hurricane Liza originated from a very large area of intense thunderstorms that developed about 400 mi (645 km) southwest of the Mexican coast on September 25.

It is estimated that a tropical depression developed at 1800 UTC on September 25, centered about 485 mi (780 km) east-northeast of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.

[1][2] Around this time, the hurricane had developed an eye that was 17 mi (27 km) in diameter, though it was initially not visible on satellite imagery.

[1] Liza continued to rapidly intensify and attained winds of 140 mph (230 km/h) late on September 29, making it a mid-level Category 4 hurricane.

Late on September 30, Liza brushed the Baja California Peninsula, passing about 65 mi (105 km) east of Cabo San Lucas[1] while still at peak intensity.

By 1300 UTC that day, Liza made landfall about 50 mi (80 km) north of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h), still a Category 3 storm.

[5] Prior to the arrival of the hurricane, many residents in shanty towns failed to hear tropical cyclone warnings and watches.

[6] In addition, city officials warned the residents living near the dam to take shelter in public buildings though most refused to leave.

[7] The government ignored all requests to shore up an earthen dam, as they did not believe Liza would pose a significant threat of damage to the Baja California Peninsula.

[8] Along the Gulf Coast, troops evacuated residents, and radio stations warned all nearby ships to remain at harbor.

[10] As the remnants of Liza moved across the western United States, National Weather Service posted flash flood watches for much of deserts of California, southern Utah, and a portion of Colorado.

[12] In all, Liza brought a total of $100 million in damage[13] in Baja California Sur, which receives catastrophic flooding from hurricanes every 50 years or so.

[17] Hurricane Liza caused extensive damage and loss of life in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.

[3][21] A 5 ft (1.5 m) wall of water[22] spilled over a small shanty town of 10,000 inhabitantes, thousands of whom lived in cardboard shacks.

[26] Prior to the arrival of the storm, many residents had repeatedly requested that a stone wall be built to protect their homes.

[28] "Dozens" of people were also swept away into the Gulf of California when Hurricane Liza destroyed a 600 ft (185 m) sea wall, which, ironically, had been built to prevent flooding from such storms.

Many desert communities throughout the state were left without any telephone or electrical service;[8] wood, tarpaper, and cardboard were all scattered.

[39] Many roads were blocked due to fallen trees while numerous homes were pushed off their foundation;[20] some cars were also abandoned when Hurricane Liza struck.

[1][18][44] It was initially stated that 630 people had died during the storm; however, this total does not include victims discovered by the Mexican army.

[24] By October 6, local officials had abandoned efforts to retrieve additional bodies, citing safety reasons.

Further east, Liza's remnants dropped light rainfall in New Mexico (peaking at 0.47 in (12 mm) in White Sands National Park),[58] as well as in southwestern Texas.

[29] Other rescue workers endured 100 °F (38 °C) heat while frantically searching for bodies floating on the ocean or sunk under mud.

[54] Medical workers attempted to vaccinate all survivors for typhoid fever and tetanus, but the supply of syringes ran short.

[5] Around that time, President Echeverria ordered emergency aid to be sent La Paz, Los Mochis, and Ciudad Obregón, as well as three coastal Sonoran ports.

[9] Gerald Ford, who was then the U.S. president, agreed to provide aid for victims of Hurricane Liza;[80] the first of which arrived late on October 2, containing food and construction materials.

[46] Ángel César Mendoza Arámburo, the governor of Baja California Sur, ordered a permanent evacuation of all low-lying residents to prevent more destruction during future floods, saying "I never want to see this city menaced in this way again".

[54] State and federal officials arranged a meeting on October 3 to make a plan to reconstruct the devastated area,[78] which had to be almost entirely re-built.