Hurricane Grace hits Mexico’s Gulf coast, dissipates; 8 dead

VERACRUZ— Hurricane Grace swept onto Mexico’s Gulf coast as a major Category 3 storm and moved inland Saturday, drenching coastal and inland areas in its second landfall in the country in two days. At least eight people died, authorities said.

The storm had lost power while crossing over the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, swirling through Mexico’s main tourist strip, but it rapidly drew strength from the relatively warm Gulf of Mexico before reaching the Mexican coast again late Friday.

At least eight people, including children, died and three were missing after mudslides and flooding, said Cuitlhuac Garca, governor of Mexico’s Veracruz state. Garca said 330,000 people lost power in the storm but it was gradually being restored.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Grace quickly weakened to a tropical storm as it churned over mountainous areas in central Mexico east of the capital and then dissipated at midafternoon.