MEXICO CITY – Former Tropical Storm Beatriz weakened to a low-pressure area on Friday, but it had claimed at least two lives while soaking parts of southern Mexico with heavy rains as it moved inland and dissipated in the mountains.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm had maximum sustained winds of 25 mph (35 kph) early Friday before fading over Oaxaca state.

Authorities closed schools in the entire state for a second day Friday.

Civil Protection authorities in Oaxaca said Friday that a 5-year-old girl died when a landslide hit three homes in San Marcial Ozolotepec. Two other people remained missing in that incident. Also, a woman died Thursday in a landslide in the mountain town of San Pablo Topiltepec.

Authorities reported many roads damaged in the state and a bridge suffered structural damage and was impassable in the town of Magdalena Tequisistlan.

The hurricane centre said the remains of Beatriz could dump 2 to 5 inches (50 to 125 millimeters) of rain across Oaxaca, with higher accumulations in spots, likely causing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. In total some areas could receive 18 inches (450 millimeters) of rain from the storm.