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Mexico

Hurricane Douglas Moving Toward Southern Mexico

By ISAAC A. LEVI Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Hurricane Douglas churned through the Pacific Ocean toward southern Mexico today after killing 35 people in a sweep across northern Colombia and Central America.

At 8 p.m. EDT on Monday, Douglas was 300 miles southeast of the resort of Acapulco. The U.S. National Weather Service said it was moving west at 20 miles an hour, with sustained winds of 80 mph and gusts of 97 mph.

Up to six inches of rain fell over parts of southern Mexico, creating the risk of flash floods and mudslides in mountainous regions. In some places, tides were expected to be four feet higher than normal.

Tropical storm warnings were issued from Salina Cruz on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to Acapulco, and a tropical storm watch from Acapulco north to the port of Manzanillo.

Hurricane Douglas was born in the Caribbean last week as Cesar and renamed on Monday when it moved into the warm waters of the Pacific where it has been picking up power. Warmer waters mean more energy for hurricanes.

The hurricane was blamed for 11 deaths in Colombia, including eight children buried in an avalanche.

In Costa Rica, 11 people died from heavy flooding in the south and 10 others were missing in a mudslide that buried a house in Terrazu, 40 miles south of the capital, San Jose.

In Nicaragua, the government declared an emergency and sent army helicopters with food, medicine and blankets to flooded areas, where at least 10,000 people were left homeless. Two youths drowned and a boy was asphyxiated in the chaos of an evacuation in a crowded truck.

In El Salvador, the storm left dozens homeless and was blamed for at least 10 deaths.