Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Hurricane Odile roared into Baja California on Sunday night, packing fierce winds that shook buildings, blew out windows, and knocked out power in the picturesque resort town of Cabo San Lucas. Wind gusts of up to 125 mph were measured in Los Cabos as the storm made landfall just after 11 pm local time.

The hurricane could be the most powerful storm to ever hit the region as it sweeps through Sunday night and into Monday. Odile's maximum sustained winds were down just slightly at landfall from the 135 mph winds recorded earlier in the day. Its center was about 30 miles south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California and moving to the north-northwest at 17 mph.

Hours before the storm's expected arrival, gusty winds whipped palm trees and monster waves crashed to shore in the popular tourist region of Los Cabos. Some 30,000 tourists hunkered down in hotels to ride out the storm, according to the Associated Press. Videos on social media show people scrambling to reinforce exposed windows with furniture and plywood as howling winds battered a makeshift shelter set up in a hotel conference room.

Earlier Sunday, the storm prompted Mexican authorities to evacuate residents in coastal areas and open shelters for up to 30,000 people. Government officials have issued a declaration of "extraordinary emergency" for five municipalities in the state, La Paz, Los Cabos, Comondú, Loreto, and Morengé, according to Spanish-language news site Sexenio.

Hurricane warnings were in effect from Puerto San Andresito to Punta Abreojos, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

"We are going to be hit, do not risk your life," warned Marcos Covarrubias, governor of Baja California Sur.

As storm clouds gathered over the weekend, police with megaphones walked through vulnerable areas in Cabo San Lucas urging neighbors to evacuate.

"I'm leaving. It's very dangerous here," said Felipa Flores, clutching a plastic bag with a few belongings as she took her two small children from her neighborhood of El Caribe to a storm shelter. "Later on we're going to be cut off and my house of wood and laminated cardboard won't stand up to much."

After reaching Category 4 strength earlier Sunday, Odile weakened some to Category 3. Videos posted to social media on Sunday afternoon show huge swells already crashing on the shore under darkened skies Los Cabos. Fluttering black flags signaled that beaches were closed due to high surf.

Long lines formed at gas stations and supermarkets as residents stocked up on food, bottled water, flashlights and batteries. Some went to the shore to take photos and video of the ocean as the waves picked up and the skies darkened.

Luis Felipe Puente, national coordinator for Mexico's civil protection agency, said that the occupancy level in hotels currently is low, but tourists have been warned to stay inside in the safer areas of the hotels and keep away from doors and windows. At least 164 shelters have been opened for Baja residents.

Hotel officials kept guests updated about the storm's approach and distributed movies and board games in anticipation of everyone having to hunker down inside later in the day. Workers put protective plastic sheeting over hotel windows. He said 30,000 tourists, nearly all of them foreigners, were in the area, and could seek refuge in any of the 18 hotels set up as shelters. Guests were advised to have their bags packed and passports at the ready

At least 22 flights in and out of Los Cabos International Airport were canceled by Sunday afternoon, according to flightaware.com. Spanish-language news site BCS Noticias reports that schools will be closed in the municipalities of Los Cabos and La Paz on Monday and that festivities for Mexico's Independence Day on Tuesday have been canceled in La Paz.

Besides being powerful, Odile is a large storm. The hurricane center said hurricane-force winds extend outward from the center up to 50 miles and tropical storm-force winds as far as 185 miles.