Carlotta weakens, downgraded to tropical storm
Source: AP-Excite
By BERTHA RAMOS
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) - Officials downgraded Carlotta from a hurricane to a tropical storm early Saturday as it weakened while moving across southern Mexico.
The National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center in Miami discontinued the hurricane warning that had been in effect from Salina Cruz to Punta Maldonado and the hurricane watch from west of Punta Maldonado to Acapulco.
Carlotta pushed northward toward the resort city of Acapulco on Saturday after making landfall near the Mexican beach town of Puerto Escondido, where it toppled trees and shook tourist hotels.
"We don't care about the rain, we're going to have fun at the club," said tourist Alejandra Flores, who took a bus with a friend yesterday from Guadalajara to Acapulco. People in Acapulco were calm and dining in restaurants late Friday.
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This image provided by NASA acquired Friday at 11 p.m. EDT shows Hurricane Carlotta slammed into Mexico's resort-studded Pacific coast late Friday, toppling trees and lashing hotels while authorities evacuated people from low-lying areas. The rapidly changing hurricane made landfall as a Category 1 storm near Puerto Escondido, a laid-back port popular with surfers, and is expected to push inland and northward in the direction of Acapulco. (AP Photo/NASA)