Hurricane Orlene hits Mexico's Pacific coast and weakening, had strengthened to a powerful Cat. 4

 

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 Orlene had strengthened to a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Sunday in the Pacific, prompting warnings for inhabitants of at-risk areas to take refuge in temporary shelters, but lost strength as it approached the coast.

Hurricane Orlene brought strong winds and heavy rains to Mexico's northwestern Pacific coast on Monday but rapidly weakened as it moved inland, forecasters said.

It quickly lost its hurricane strength as it churned over land and was downgraded to a tropical depression hours later, but still posed a risk of flash flooding and landslides, the NHC said.

Tropical cyclones hit Mexico every year on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts, usually between May and November.

In October 1997, Hurricane Paulina hit Mexico's Pacific coast as a Category 4 storm, leaving more than 200 dead.