TS Carlotta Nears Mexican Coast

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Tropical Storm Carlotta approached Mexico's Pacific coast near the resort of Zihuatanejo Sunday, its heavy rains bringing warnings of possible floods and mudslides.

Carlotta, the third named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, was centered about 55 miles (90 kilometers) southeast of coastal Zihuatanejo early Sunday, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said its maximum sustained winds had dipped to near 45 mph (75 kph). It was moving northwest at 7 mph (11 kph) and could make landfall later in the day or Monday.

The hurricane center said the storm threatens torrential rains, possible flooding and mudslides for the coastline of the southern states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, with up to 10 inches (250 millimeters) possible in some areas.

On Friday, the Mexican Interior Department reported that there were no deaths in the resort cities of Los Cabos from Tropical Storm Bud, which left the Baja California Peninsula and re-emerged over the Gulf of California.

(KA)