Central American countries were rushing to prepare for the impact of the Tropical Storm Saraand Honduras is likely to be the first country in the path of the storm, which is moving slowly from the Caribbean.
Sara is moving westward, towards the northern coast of Honduras, at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour, and is expected to weaken in the coming days, according to the National Hurricane Center (CNH) of the United States.
The CNH predicts that Sara will cause “flash floods and landslides “life-threatening and catastrophic” in Honduras before heading to Belize on Sunday. The center forecasts accumulated rainfall of 25 to 51 centimeters (10 to 20 inches) in the coming days, and in some areas as much as 76 cm (30 inches).
Until early next week, the storm is expected to hit El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua and the Mexican state of Quintana Rooadded the forecaster based in Miami, areas that host important coffee production.
Honduras has issued a “red alert” for its northern region, while other countries activated emergency measures to prepare for potentially catastrophic rains.
The storm was located on Thursday night 209 kilometers southeast of the island of Guanaja, off the Honduran coast.
The tropical storm could remain “semi-stationary” off Honduras’ Caribbean coast until Sunday morning, the country’s National Risk Management System warned.
After Honduras, Sara will bear down on Guatemala, where local authorities asked residents to secure their homes and prepare emergency supplies in case of evacuation orders.
In Nicaragua, the vice president Rosario Murillo announced that the northern coastal areas will be the most affected by Sara’s impact as it moves through the country.
