The torrential rains that have been falling on Nicaraguan territory since last weekend have so far caused one death in the municipality of Murra, as well as severe damage to roads, bridges and homes in several municipalities in the country.
The first fatal victim of the recent rains is Efraín Mendoza Centeno, 52 years old, known in the town as “Pichingo”, who was found drowned two kilometers from the point where he was swept away by the river currents. According to people who knew him, Mendoza was originally from the neighboring municipality of Quilalí and was dedicated to selling ointments and salves.
The storm, first caused by two tropical waves that moved over the Gulf of Mexico, and now a “Central American gyre” affecting the region, have generated, according to local media reports, flooding in rivers in Murra to the point of preventing vehicular traffic and causing the currents to sweep away some vehicles.
Meanwhile, official propaganda media reported that, in addition to the overflow of the Murra River, damage occurred in Rivas, Managua, León and Chinandega, between the night of September 23 and the morning of September 24.
Related news: Rains will continue throughout the week in the Pacific of Nicaragua
A public bus from the company “Transporte Rodríguez”, which covers the Murra-Ocotal route, tried to defy the currents of the local river and was swept away. The same happened with a cargo truck, which also suffered severe damage after being almost buried by a landslide.
The rains caused “house collapses, flooding and damage to merchandise in several businesses located in the center of the town (Murra),” says the report from Canal Parlamentario, part of the official propaganda media network.
In the municipality of Jalapa, also in the north of the country, street flooding, inundation of homes and landslides that blocked some roads were also reported.
“In Jalapa, in the El Junco community, a landslide was reported on the road. Meanwhile, in Las Neblinas, several houses were flooded,” reports the official radio station La Primerísima.
In the south of the country, in the municipality of Potosí, Rivas, flooding was reported caused by the overflow of the Ochomogo River, and the Municipal Committee for the Prevention, Mitigation and Attention to Disasters (Comupred) announced the possible evacuation of families at risk due to flooding caused by the rains that will continue in the coming days, according to forecasts from the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER).
Related news: Rains cause havoc in several municipalities in Nicaragua and will continue during the weekend
“So far, it has been assessed that such evacuations are not yet necessary, but vehicles are prepared that will be available to the affected families. Flooding in homes and minor damage have been reported from the San Joaquín community to Barraza. Local authorities are continuing to monitor the situation in order to provide an immediate response to the families who are affected,” state media reports.
In the same department, on the road leading to the Barceló tourist centre, a collapse of the road has been reported, cutting off the area. Flooding and overflowing rivers have also been reported in León and Chinandega, close to the Pacific Ocean coast.
Rains will continue
According to the forecast of the Observatory of Natural Phenomena (OFENA), the rains will continue over the national territory during this Tuesday and Wednesday, while the effects of the “Central American gyre” persist, but the intensity of the precipitations will decrease with the passing of the hours as the phenomenon moves towards the Caribbean.
However, according to the Observatory, although Tropical Storm Helena, which is forming in the Caribbean, near Cuba, will not directly affect Nicaragua, there could be some rain, especially in the Caribbean region of the country. Helena could become a category one or two hurricane in the next few hours.
