Tropical Storm Sara made landfall in Belize after drenching Honduras

Tropical Storm Sara hit Belize on Sunday as forecasters expect heavy rain that could cause life-threatening floods and mudslides.

The storm hit near Dangriga, about 55 kilometers southeast of the capital Belmopan, said the National Hurricane Center based in Miami.

This comes later Sara flooded the northern coast of Honduraswhere it has been standing since Friday, flooding rivers and locking people in their homes.

One death was reported Saturday morning by Honduras Emergency Management, who said at least 90 people were rescued and more than 47,000 people were affected by the storm.

The Hurricane Center’s tropical storm warning as of Sunday included Honduras’ Bay Islands and the country’s northern coast from Punta Castilla to its border with Guatemala; on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala; The coast of Belize and the north coast of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.

The storm, moving at 6 mph, will continue to move inland over the Yucatan Peninsula and could drop up to 10 inches of rain across the region, with local totals reaching 15 inches, early next week. Conditions will “lead to areas of flooding, possibly significant, and the potential for mudslides,” according to the Hurricane Center.

“The storm’s attack may raise water levels by about 1 to 3 feet above the ground near the north of Sara’s center crossing the Belize coast,” the agency said on Sunday. “Closer to the coast, the eruption will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.”

Sarah is 18 years old called a storm in 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Seasonwhich officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, with activity usually peaking between August and mid-October. The average season brings 14 named hurricanes, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which predicted the 2024 season will produce “above average” numbers.