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Tropical storm weakens on Mexican coast

A hurricane that forced thousands of people from their homes in Mexico has been downgraded to a tropical storm.

Two men observe big waves due to the influence of hurricane Norbert.
A hurricane that forced thousands of people from their homes in Mexico has been downgraded. (AAP)

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Tropical storm Norbert has weakened quickly over cool waters in the Pacific Ocean, after the hurricane left some 2500 people homeless in Mexico.

The storm had surged to a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale but by Sunday had lost much of its punch and was downgraded to a tropical storm, packing top sustained winds of 95km per hour, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Norbert was expected to mostly dissipate by Monday morning, the Miami-based centre said.

Nevertheless, "very heavy winds were expected on the west coast of Baja California Sur", in northwestern Mexico, "and there was potential of heavy rains in (neighbouring states) Baja California and Sonora", Mexico's national weather service said.

In the hard-hit fishing village of San Carlos, in southwest Baja California, pumps were draining flood waters after the storm destroyed levees protecting the community of 7000 people.

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Local official Venustiano Perez had said on Saturday night there were "more than 2500 people homeless" and another 1500 whose homes were damaged in the storm.

Authorities in Baja California Sur said conditions had returned to normal in the state, but said they were maintaining surveillance in the northern part of the state and assessing a final damage tally.

On Saturday, some evacuations forced 2000 people into shelters, which were then cut off by landslides and power outages.

Last year, Mexico was simultaneously struck by a pair of hurricanes, Ingrid and Manuel, on both coasts, killing 157 people, destroying bridges and burying most of a mountain village in the Pacific coast state of Guerrero.


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