Tropical Storm Franklin dumps rain across Mexico’s Yucatan

MEXICO CITY – A weakened Tropical Storm Franklin crossed over Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Tuesday and headed into the lower Gulf of Mexico for a predicted landfall on the coast of central Mexico later this week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm’s center was 40 miles north-northeast of Campeche late in the afternoon and moving west-northwest at 12 mph Tuesday afternoon.

Franklin’s maximum sustained winds had slowed to 40 mph after it came ashore overnight, but it was expected to strengthen again Wednesday while crossing the Bay of Campeche in the southern Gulf of Mexico. It was predicted to move ashore a second time Thursday night.

Mexico Civil Protection director Ricardo de la Cruz said at a news conference that the initial impact on Yucatan’s Caribbean coast was not as bad as initially feared. Trees were down and power was out in some areas, he said.

“The second impact could even be stronger than the first,” De la Cruz warned.

Franklin’s rains posed the threat of flash floods and mudslides in the mountains of central Mexico.

Three to 6 inches of rain were forecast for Yucatan, with localized amounts of up to 12 inches.

A tropical storm warning was posted for the Mexican coast from Rio Lagartos to Sabancuy and from Veracruz to Rio Panuco. Tropical storm-force winds extended up to 140 miles from the center.