Hurricane Rick powers through Mexican Pacific

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Rick gathered power off Mexico's Pacific coast Saturday and could become a top Category 5 storm as it heads toward resorts on the Baja California peninsula next week.

"Extremely dangerous Hurricane Rick is continuing to strengthen ... Rick could become a Category 5 hurricane later today or tonight," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, referring to the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

Hurricane Rick, the seventh hurricane of the eastern north Pacific season, was located about 280 miles southwest of the resort city of Acapulco with maximum sustained winds near 145 mph with higher gusts.

The center projected the hurricane turning toward the Mexican coast Tuesday and slamming into Baja California on Thursday, also dumping heavy rain on the mainland.

Pacific storms pose no threat to Mexico's large oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico, but the Baja California peninsula is popular with U.S. tourists for its resorts in the Los Cabos area.

(Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Doina Chiacu)