Hurricane Barbara hit Mexico's southern Pacific coast onWednesday, flooding roads, toppling trees and killing two menbefore weakening to a tropical storm as it moved inland.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Barbara, which hadearlier moved close to the country's biggest oil refinery, was 50miles west of the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez in Chiapas state.Winds were blowing at up to 60 miles per hour.

The hurricane was churning north-northeast at about 9mph and was predicted to weaken rapidly, the NHCsaid.

According to media reports, 14 fishermen disappeared in thestate of Oaxaca during the storm. Local emergency services saidthey could not confirm that information.

Manuel Maza, director of emergency services in Oaxaca state,said that very strong winds and intense rainfall had hit the regionand that power outages were reported.

Mexican state oil monopoly Pemex said earlier on Wednesday thatoperations were normal at its biggest refinery, located in the portof Salina Cruz. The plant has the capacity to process 330,000barrels of crude per day.

Local emergency services said a 61-year-old U.S. man surfing offthe beach at Salina Cruz drowned during the storm. A 26-year-oldMexican man was killed as he tried to cross a river.

Ports for small vessels in the area have been closed andemergency services in Oaxaca said they evacuated residents fromsome areas as a precaution, including the immediate vicinity of therefinery.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Salina Cruz inOaxacato Pijijiapan in Chiapas state.

Between 6 and 10 inches of rain is expected over easternOaxaca through western Chiapas, along with a storm surge of 3 to 5feet above normal tide levels, the NHC said.

Editor's Note: an Aon Benfield Cat Alert sent themorning of May 29 categorized the insured-loss potential as“low.”

Similarly, catastrophe modeler Eqecat says the area whereBarbara made landfall is sparsely populated, with low insuranceexposure.

The Eastern Pacific hurricane season started May 15 andlasts until November 30. Tropical Storm Alvin formed on May 15 asthe first named storm of the season, but it posed no threat oflandfall.