Oct 10 - Hurricane Michael has intensified as it makes landfall near Mexico Beach, Florida, bringing life-threatening storm surge, hurricane force winds and heavy rainfall over the Florida Panhandle, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Wednesday.

Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, is located about 20 miles (30 kilometers) southeast of Panama City, Florida packing maximum sustained winds of 155 miles per hour (250 km/h), the Miami-based weather forecaster said.

"Hurricane Michael is forecast to become a post-tropical cyclone on Friday and strengthening is forecast as the system moves over the western Atlantic," the NHC said.

Reuters