By Aida Pelaez-Fernandez MEXICO CITY/PUERTO ESCONDIDO (Reuters) -Hurricane Erick weakened after slamming into Mexico's southern Pacific coast as a major hurricane on Thursday, leaving a trail of damaged businesses,

Hurricane Erick had strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it approached the coast but weakened to a Category 2 storm before making landfall on Thursday.

Forecasters had expected up to 40 centimeters (16 inches) of rain could fall across Oaxaca and Guerrero, with lesser totals in Chiapas, Michoacan, Colima and Jalisco states. The rainfall threatened flooding and mudslides, especially in areas with steep terrain.