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

By FÉLIX MÁRQUEZ and FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ
Associated Press

VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Grace hit Mexico’s Gulf as a major Category 3 storm and moved inland, drenching coastal and inland areas in its second landfall in the country in two days. Authorities said at least eight people died when the storm came ashore early Sturday. The storm had lost power while crossing over the Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, swirling through Mexico’s main tourist strip. But it rapidly drew in power from the relatively warm Gulf of Mexico on Friday as it moved toward the country’s mainland.  The storm quickly weakened to a tropical storm as it churned over mountainous areas in central Mexico east of the capital and then dissipated at midafternoon..