Hurricane Otis has made landfall in southern Mexico.

As at 5am today, the National Hurricane Centre says Otis is bringing damaging hurricane-force winds which are spreading inland.

 A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Punta Maldonado westward to Zihuatanejo.

Otis currently has maximum sustained winds over 215km/h and is a category four storm on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale.

The NHC says rapid weakening is expected as Otis moves inland over the higher terrain and will likely dissipate over southern Mexico tonight.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged people to move to emergency shelters and away from rivers, streams and ravines.

(Photo credit: NHC)