Mexico's Hurricane Newton: Two die at sea Published duration 7 September 2016

image copyright AFP image caption The hurricane had lost strength when it reached the state capital, La Paz

Hurricane Newton has left two people dead in western Mexico. It also felled trees and damaged power lines after making landfall on Tuesday.

The people who died were in a fishing boat that capsized in the Gulf of California. Three are still missing.

Officials said the five had ignored warnings against going to sea and had taken their shrimp fishing boat out.

The hurricane registered wind speeds of 150km/h (90mph) as it approached the state of Baja California Sur.

It made landfall near the popular resort of Cabo San Lucas, which sustained serious damage to homes, shops and hotels when the stronger Hurricane Odile hit in 2014.

Although some hotel windows broke and power and phone lines were cut, the resort was spared the extensive damage of two years ago.

President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted that Newton had caused only "minor damage to infrastructure".

Twelve shelters were opened in the Los Cabos municipality as the wind grew in strength late on Monday. Newton reached hurricane force over the Pacific.

Motorists queued to fill their cars with fuel ahead of the hurricane's arrival.

But thousands of tourists who were in town spent the night safely in their hotel rooms, the authorities said.

image copyright AP image caption Shop owners boarded up their store fronts ahead of the hurricane

image copyright AP image caption But Cabo San Lucas and other areas in Baja California Sur were spared major damage

Hurricane Newton weakened as it moved north along the Baja California peninsula.

The hurricane may regain strength as it goes over the ocean again and makes a second landfall in northern Mexico.

US authorities have warned there is a risk of flash flooding and landslides as Newton heads towards the south-western US state of Arizona.