Hurricane Patricia: Vancouver family arrives home after Mexico storm scare
Hundreds of Canadians were stuck in resort towns that line Mexico's Pacific Coast
A Vancouver family is back home safe after spending a week in Nuevo Vallarta and having to take shelter on the seventh day as Hurricane Patricia approached.
The record-breaking storm was downgraded faster than expected, but torrential rains now threaten vacation areas with floods and landslides.
"The last day and a half has been pretty crazy, a roller coaster of emotions," said Scott Pettie of Vancouver, who was on vacation with his wife Rachel and children, Annabelle, 14, Seth, 12 and Caleb, 10.
They had a rude awakening at their resort in Nuevo Vallarta October 23, when they were told to evacuate immediately.
They were put in barracks 20 kilometres north of Puerto Vallarta, awaiting landfall of the hurricane then dubbed the strongest ever recorded.
The storm was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane early Saturday morning.
Pettie and his family are now relieved to be home. They flew back to Vancouver this morning to reunite with twin toddler sons in Vancouver.
"It was a good six days and then the seventh day, took a turn, yeah," said Pettie.