Orlene weakens from a hurricane to a tropical depression after making landfall in Mexico

() — Hurricane Orlene hit southwestern Mexico on Monday and then weakened to a tropical depression in the afternoon, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Tropical Depression Orlene had strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, but finally struck southwestern Mexico, just north of the Nayarit and Sinaloa border, as a Category 1 hurricane around 7:45 a.m. local time with winds of around 136 kilometers per hour, according to the NHC.

The cyclone brought heavy rains, severe flooding and created landslides in popular tourist areas along the country’s west coast.

By 4 pm ET, the cyclone had weakened and had sustained winds of 56 km/h while moving north-northeast at 14 km/h, the NHC said.

There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect for the area, according to the center’s 4 p.m. update. The center of the cyclone is expected to move inland over west-central Mexico on Monday night.

“Further weakening is forecast and Orlene is forecast to dissipate later tonight,” the NHC said.

Heavy rains in Colima, Durango, Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa by Orlene

The Secretary of the Environment of Mexico reported through a statement that during the early hours of Tuesday, tropical depression Orlene will continue to weaken over land; however, its cloudiness will maintain intense rains in the states of Colima, Durango, Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa; heavy rains in Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Michoacán and Zacatecas, and intervals of rain in Chihuahua and Sonora.

For its part, the Federal Electricity Commission said it has restored 57% of the electricity supply to users affected by Orlene in Nayarit and Sinaloa.

‘s Robert Shackelford contributed to this report.