Tropical Storm Sara on Sunday made landfall in Belize, where forecasters expect heavy rain to cause life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
The storm moved inland to Belize after inundating the northern coast of Honduras, where it has been stationary since Friday, flooding rivers and stranding some people in their homes.
The hurricane warning of the US National Hurricane Center as of Sunday included the Caribbean coast of Guatemala; the coast of Belize; and head north along the coast of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.
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Those areas, along with parts of El Salvador and western Nicaragua, could see 13 inches, with the area total reaching 38 inches. These conditions will “produce areas of flooding, possibly extensive, and the potential for mudslides,” according to the Hurricane Center.
“Strong storms could raise water levels approximately 1 to 3 feet above the ground near the north of Sara’s center crossing the coast of Belize,” the center said on Sunday. “Near the coast, the sea will be accompanied by large destructive waves.”
Meanwhile, Northern Honduras is still unclear. The agency expects Sara to drop up to 8 centimeters of rain there, but some areas could see totals of up to 40 centimeters (1 metre), with “major and life-threatening flooding” still possible.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
