Daily life is slowly returning to normal in parts of western Mexico, a day after cartel violence shut down highways, suspended flights and left Canadian tourists stranded and afraid.

A North Vancouver woman vacationing in Puerto Vallarta says the atmosphere changed almost overnight.

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“All the restaurants — and stores — were closed, except for one,” Carol Milne told 1130 NewsRadio, describing an hour-and-a-half lineup to buy basic food from a single open shop.

“Everybody was doing as they were told. They were off the beaches. Everything just came to a grinding halt.”

Milne, who’s sheltering in place with a friend, says the chaos on Sunday also came with a chilling warning issued on social media.

“At two o’clock, if you’re not off the street, you may be shot. That’s basically what they said.”

“We think the cartel put it out; they get it out to everybody.”

The unrest was triggered by a Mexican military operation that officials say killed multiple members of the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel, including its leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”

Violence quickly spread into popular tourist hotspots, with vehicles and buildings burned, gunfire reported, and flights suspended at Puerto Vallarta International Airport.

Milne said she was sent videos in which she witnessed vehicles and numerous buses being hijacked and torched on a key coastal highway, making travel nearly impossible.

Despite the situation, she says she plans to wait for her scheduled flight home in about a week, though it remains unclear when the airport will fully reopen.

“We just feel lucky we are inside somewhere.”

On Monday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said there is a “greater calm” following the widespread violence.

Some flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta are resuming, but officials warn there could be more cancellations.

The Canadian government has told travellers in affected regions to shelter in place.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said on Monday that more than 26,000 Canadians in Mexico have registered with Ottawa, including more than 8,000 who contacted Global Affairs in the past day as the violence escalated.

She added that Canada is not currently planning evacuation flights and has not been asked by Mexican authorities for assistance.

Global Affairs Canada is urging travellers to follow local instructions and monitor official updates as the situation evolves.