Now a tropical storm, Rick lashes Mexico

MEXICO CITY — A compact Hurricane Rick roared ashore along Mexico’s southern Pacific coast early Monday with 105 mph winds and heavy rain amid warnings of potential flash floods in the coastal mountains.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Rick made landfall as a Category 2 storm about 15 miles east of the port of Lazaro Cardenas in the state of Michoacan around 5 a.m. local time. Later Monday, Rick weakened to a tropical storm and was 105 miles north of Lazaro Cardenas, moving north at 10 mph.

Forecasters said heavy rains meant the threat of flooding continued. The storm’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 60 mph. The center warned that Rick could produce flash floods and mudslides in the mountainous terrain on the coast.

The state of Guerrero, where Zihuatanejo and Acapulco are located, said rains and wind had already knocked over some trees and damaged a road.