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Weakening Tropical Storm Max Dumps Rain on Southern Mexico

The rapidly weakening Max should become a tropical depression then dissipate by early Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center

A weakening Tropical Storm Max dumped rain over southern Mexico after slamming into a sparsely populated stretch of Pacific coast as a Category 1 hurricane.

Near the resort city of Acapulco in Guerrero state, the government worked frantically to widen a channel to the sea to prevent a coastal lagoon from flooding. And Gov. Hector Astudillo warned that the rains would continue through the night, creating fears of flooding and landslides in Guerrero and Oaxaca states.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center had earlier issued a hurricane warning for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado.

The center said the rapidly weakening Max should become a tropical depression then dissipate by early Friday.

Max had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (70 kph) and was located about 95 miles (150 kilometers) east of Acapulco Thursday night. It was heading toward the east at 7 mph (11 kph), the hurricane center reported.

Acapulco, about 30 miles (60 kilometers) from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard.

Also Thursday, Tropical Storm Norma formed farther out to the west in the Pacific and was expected to strengthen and head toward the resort-studded Baja California Peninsula.

Norma was located about 360 miles (580 kilometers) south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip.

The storm had winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and was moving north at 6 mph (9 kph). On that track Norma could be at hurricane strength near Los Cabos by Sunday or Monday.

Los Cabos was hit by Tropical Storm Lidia in early September, causing at least five deaths.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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