Tropical Storm Boris downgraded after affecting close to 100,000 in Guatemala

TUXTLA GUTIÉRREZ — A storm named Boris lingering off Mexico’s west coast was downgraded to a tropical depression on Wednesday, but is still packing heavy rains that could cause deadly flash floods and mudslides.

The warning from the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Boris could dump as much as 20 inches (50 cm) of rain in some parts of the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca. Boris was expected to make landfall later Wednesday, according to the center’s tracking map.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of almost 55 kilometers (35 miles) per hour, down slightly from Tuesday. It was still moving toward the north at seven kilometers (five miles) per hour.

But Boris is expected to weaken later Wednesday.

In Guatemala, rough weather produced a landslide that killed five people near the Mexican border on Saturday.

The national disaster relief agency said as many as 100,000 people have been affected by bad weather that has caused damage to homes and roads. Schools have also been closed in parts of Guatemala.

Last week, the remnants of Hurricane Amanda were blamed for three deaths in Guerrero and the neighboring state of Michoacan.