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Hurricane slams into Mexico again Dean downgraded on Mexican return
(about 4 hours later)
Hurricane Dean has hit Mexico for the second time this week, slamming into the eastern state of Veracruz from the Gulf of Mexico but quickly weakening. Hurricane Dean has been downgraded to a tropical storm after hitting Mexico for the second time this week.
The hurricane reached land as a Category Two storm, packing gusts of up to 100mph (160km/h). Dean was a Category Two hurricane with gusts of up to 100mph (160km/h) before it weakened after landing at the eastern state of Veracruz at 1700 GMT.
But it was downgraded to a Category One hurricane after its winds fell to 85mph (140 km/h) as it hit Tecolutla town. Wind speeds dropped to 70mph (110km/h) as it lurched inland but concerns remained about potential flash floods.
Up to 20in (51cm) of rain were expected to swell rivers around villages in mountainous regions prone to mudslides.
The Veracruz authorities have evacuated more than 20,000 people from low-lying coastal areas.
"These floods could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," warned the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).
View path of Hurricane Dean in more detailEnlarge Map
On Tuesday, Dean battered Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, toppling trees and houses and causing flooding.On Tuesday, Dean battered Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, toppling trees and houses and causing flooding.
It also damaged houses and flooded streets in neighbouring Belize.It also damaged houses and flooded streets in neighbouring Belize.
href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/americas_enl_1187815785/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/americas_enl_1187815785/html/1.stm', '1187815900', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=368,left=312,top=100'); return false;">View path of Hurricane Dean in more detail href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/americas_enl_1187815785/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/americas_enl_1187815785/html/1.stm', '1187815900', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=368,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >Enlarge Map The hurricane initially hit Yucatan as a maximum Category Five storm but quickly weakened.
The hurricane initially hit Yucatan as a maximum Category Five storm but quickly weakened, before regaining strength over the Gulf of Mexico, where it slammed into oil and gas platforms. It regained strength over the Gulf of Mexico, where it slammed into oil and gas platforms, but is not thought to have caused any significant damage to refineries.
Dean hit Veracruz shortly before 1700 GMT, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Dean was heading inland west of Poza Rica city at 2200 GMT.
More than 10,000 people were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas as the storm approached. US National Hurricane Center spokesman Jamie Rhome had warned residents not to underestimate Dean.
NHC spokesman Jamie Rhome had warned residents not to let their guard down before Dean's return.
"We often see that when a storm weakens, people let down their guard completely. You shouldn't do that," he told the Associated Press news agency."We often see that when a storm weakens, people let down their guard completely. You shouldn't do that," he told the Associated Press news agency.
Homes destroyedHomes destroyed
There have been no reports of deaths in Mexico, but the hurricane claimed at least 13 lives in the eastern Caribbean. At least three of those deaths were in Jamaica, which has had to delay a general election that had been due next week. There have been no reports of deaths in Mexico, but the hurricane claimed at least 13 lives in the eastern Caribbean.
Major Mexican tourist resorts were not directly hit, but indigenous Mayan villages were exposed to the hurricane's full force when it struck the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday, about 170 miles (270km) south of Cancun. At least three of those deaths were in Jamaica, which has delayed a general election that had been scheduled for next week.
Major Mexican tourist resorts were not directly hit, but indigenous Mayan villages were exposed to the hurricane's full force when it struck the Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday, south of Cancun.
Hundreds of homes were destroyed in and around the town of Majahual.Hundreds of homes were destroyed in and around the town of Majahual.
The hurricane lashed low-lying Mayan communities, and rain, poor communications and impassable roads made it hard to establish how they had fared in the storm.
President Felipe Calderon has said relief efforts would focus on these communities.