Hurricane Erick rapidly intensified over the last 24 hours, growing into a powerful Category 4 storm but weakening slightly before making landfall.

ACAPULCO, Mexico -- Powerful Hurricane Erick made landfall in Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca early Thursday as a major hurricane before moving inland and weakening to a tropical storm as it dumped heavy rain, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

The storm had been a Category 4 hurricane as it bore down from the eastern Pacific toward Mexico. The authorities ordered evacuations in Oaxaca and Guerrero.