Pamela moves inland after hitting Mexico’s Pacific coast

MEXICO CITY — Pamela moved inland over Mexico’s northwest region Wednesday after slamming into the coast just north of Mazatlan earlier in the day at hurricane strength.

Pamela made landfall 40 miles (65 kms) north of the port city of Mazatlan, which also serves as a resort for Mexican tourists.

Civil defense officials in the northern state of Sinaloa said Pamela’s wind and rains did little damage in the city.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Pamela’s winds had fallen to about 65 mph (100 kph) as it moved inland. The storm was moving north-northeast at 23 mph (37 kph) and remnants could approach Texas by late Wednesday or Thursday.

The hurricane center warned of the possibility of life-threatening storm surges, flash floods and dangerous winds around the impact area.

Pamela was forecast to weaken while crossing over northern Mexico and could approach the Texas border as a tropical depression or remnants by late Wednesday or Thursday. The center said remnants of the storm could carry heavy rain to central Texas and southeast Oklahoma.