Henriette earlier killed seven people, five of them children, in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, local officials reported.

At 0900 GMT Henriette was located about 450 kilometers (280 miles) south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja California, packing winds of 100 kilometers (65 miles) per hour with higher gusts.

"Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours and Henriette is expected to become a hurricane on Monday," the Hurricane Center said.

Henriette was moving towards the northwest at around 15 kilometers (9 miles) per hour, and is forecast to hit Baja California on Tuesday.

The storm is expected to drop between 7.6 and 13 centimeters (three and five inches) of rain along Mexico's west coast, with up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) possible, the Hurricane Center said.

This heavy rain "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the Hurricane Center said.

Henriette dumped torrential rains in Guerrero state on Friday, triggering a rock slide that buried six people in their homes in the resort city of Acapulco, Mexico's Civil Protection service said.

Another man was killed when his vehicle was crushed under another rock slide in jungle ravine in neighboring Chiapas state, the service added.

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