Rick Prompts Storm Warning in Mexico

A tropical storm warning was issued for the southern portion of Mexico's Baja California peninsula as Tropical Storm Rick approached.

In addition, a tropical storm watch was issued early Tuesday for the western coast of the main part of Mexico from El Roblito northward through Altata.

Rick, which had been an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane at one point, is weakening in the Pacific and its maximum sustained winds have decreased to 65 mph.

The storm was centered about 265 miles south-southwest of Los Cabos and was moving north-northeast near 6 mph.

Rick rapidly lost steam and became a tropical storm but only after kicking up powerful waves that killed two people and sent tourists looking for flights out of Los Cabos.

Authorities in the resort city still warned of expected heavy downpours and possible floods, however, and said seven shelters would be open Tuesday at schools for people in low-lying neighborhoods.

"We are going to get a lot of rain," said Los Cabos civil defense director Francisco Cota. Soldiers were sent to help with possible evacuations.

At the Los Cabos airport, American Airlines spokesman Alfredo Hernandez said the carrier added an extra flight to Dallas on Tuesday after fielding requests from tourists anxious to get out ahead of the storm.

Hotel employees cleared furniture from balconies and patios but stopped short from boarding up windows or moving guests to shelters.

Jesus Rubio, a receptionist at the Hotel Sinisterra, said management briefed workers on the hotel's contingency plan but had not decided to implement it. He said only a few guests left because of the storm.

"There is water, food and electricity, and with those three things (the guests) are happier," Rubio said.

The storm was expected to continue weakening and near the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

At one point during the weekend, Rick's winds were clocked at 180 mph; making it an extremely dangerous Category 5 hurricane and the second strongest storm in the eastern North Pacific since experts began keeping reliable records in 1966, Hurricane Center meteorologist Hugh Cobb said.

The strongest was Hurricane Linda, which generated maximum winds of 185 mph in September 1997.

Long before Rick neared the peninsula, its powerful surf claimed two victims: A 16-year-old boy swimming at El Medano beach drowned Monday, and a 38-year-old man fishing from a rocky point was swept away by a big wave the previous day.

Rick also threatened to disrupt a major sport-fishing tournament scheduled to start Wednesday.

Meanwhile, far out in the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Neki was about 700 miles southwest of Honolulu and about 670 miles southeast of tiny Johnston Island.

The uninhabited island, which is part of the isolated Johnston Atoll, is under the primary jurisdiction and control of the U.S. Air Force. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a national wildlife refuge there.