Hurricane Erick had strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approached the coast but weakened to a Category 2 storm before making landfall on Thursday.
Residents and authorities in southern Mexico are assessing the damage and watching for rising rivers as rain from the remnants of Hurricane Erick doused the region.
Landslides and flooding were an ongoing concern for officials after Erick – once a Category 4 hurricane — dissipated following landfall early Thursday.
At least two deaths have been confirmed – a 1-year-old boy who drowned in a swollen river in Guerrero state and a man was electrocuted while helping with debris removal in Oaxaca state, officials said.
Erick came ashore down southern Mexico’s Pacific coast Thursday morning as a Category 3 major hurricane. It landed between the resort cities of Acapulco and Puerto Escondido.
Erick had strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approached the coast, but weakened to a Category 2 storm before making landfall.
Having doubled in strength in less than a day, Erick churned through an ideal environment for quick intensification.
