Honduras battles flooding as Tropical Storm Sara unleashes heavy rain By Reuters
Written by Marvin Valladares
TELA, Honduras (Reuters) – Wading through waist-deep water, residents on the northern coast of Honduras took to the streets on Friday with their belongings and pets, as torrential rains from Tropical Storm Sara caused widespread flooding.
Sarah made landfall near the Caribbean coast of Honduras, near beach resorts and ancient Mayan ruins popular with tourists, as the storm also headed for Belize and Guatemala.
The US National Hurricane Center is forecasting between 15 and 25 inches (38-63 cm) of rain in northern Honduras over the next few days, with isolated areas up to 35 inches.
Sara was located 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Honduras’ Guanaja Island.
That dangerous storm system will likely cause “life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flooding and mudslides,” according to the Miami-based agency.
Sara can also produce coffee in Honduras, the top producer in Central America.
More than 1,000 Hondurans have sought refuge in shelters, according to officials, and the government declared a national emergency on Friday afternoon.
In a press conference, national head of disaster management Jose Jorge Fortin urged local people to avoid flood-affected areas, among other safety measures.
He mentioned that those who live near the banks of the river are the most vulnerable to floods and landslides.
Sara is packing winds of 50 mph (80 kph), and the NHC estimates that “slight strengthening is possible” over the next few days as long as the storm stays offshore.
It will likely move northwest, toward Belize, starting Sunday, according to meteorologist Victor Ortega.
After leaving Honduras, Sara is expected to drop between 5-15 inches of rain over parts of Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua and the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, according to the NHC.