Deadly Floods Expected in C.A. as Tropical Depression Nears
Tropical Depression 19 has formed in the southwestern Caribbean Sea and is forecasted to become Tropical Storm Sara soon. The system is expected to move westward and stall near Honduras before heading northward next week.
The National Hurricane Center issued an early morning advisory warning that Tropical Depression Nineteen poses a severe flooding threat to parts of Central America, especially Honduras. The storm, located approximately 250 miles east of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and about 90 miles northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios on the Nicaragua-Honduras border, is expected to bring torrential rains and life-threatening flash flooding to the region over the weekend.
Moving west at 15 mph with sustained winds of 35 mph, the depression is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm later today if it remains over water.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Bay Islands of Honduras and from Punta Castilla to the Honduras-Nicaragua border, indicating that hurricane conditions could develop within the next 48 hours. Tropical Storm Warnings are also in place for the same areas, with conditions expected within 36 hours, while a Tropical Storm Watch extends from the Honduras-Nicaragua border to Puerto Cabezas.
Rainfall totals could reach 10 to 20 inches in northern Honduras, with isolated areas expecting up to 30 inches. These intense rains are predicted to cause widespread, potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, particularly near the Sierra La Esperanza. Other areas, including Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, and western Nicaragua, may see rainfall between 5 to 10 inches, with some locations receiving up to 15 inches, also heightening the risk of flash floods and landslides.
Residents in the affected areas are advised to closely monitor updates and prepare for significant impacts, as the system is likely to linger near Honduras’ northern coast through the weekend, bringing destructive waves and potentially raising water levels by up to three feet along the immediate coastline.
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