Hurricane Franklin’s remnants give central Mexico a drenching

The remnants of Hurricane Franklin soaked central Mexico on Thursday, threatening mudslides and flash floods after the storm hit the country’s Gulf coast overnight.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to a tropical depression as it broke up over the mountains of central Mexico.

Franklin was centered about 20 miles north-northwest of Mexico City on Thursday morning, with sustained winds of 30 mph, with a steady rain falling in the nation’s capital and winds picking up. It was moving westward at 20 mph.

Franklin became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season on Wednesday and hit north of Veracruz city as a Category 1 storm.

Earlier, as a tropical storm, Franklin made a relatively mild run across the Yucatan Peninsula.

Authorities in Veracruz state canceled public schools as a precautionary measure. Schools are frequently used as storm shelters in Mexico.

There were no initial reports of deaths, but authorities in a number of states were closely monitoring the rains.

Mexican officials said the storm did less damage than feared as it rolled across the Yucatan early in the week, but there was concern it could bring flooding to the mountainous territory east of Mexico City.

Forecasters said Franklin could drop 4 to 8 inches of rain, with localized amounts of up to 15 inches.

FELIX MARQUEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESS Rain and wind pound boats late Wednesday night that were pulled from the Gulf onto dry land in Veracruz, Mexico, as Hurricane Franklin came ashore. The Category 1 storm was the first hurricane of the Atlantic season.