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Hundreds of villages in Honduras were isolated because of the rain

News7f November 18, 2024

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Hundreds of villages in Honduras were isolated because of the rain

Many roads and bridges are impassable after days of rain

Reuters A shirtless man wearing a brown hat and flip-flops in one hand wades through waist-deep water as people watch from the other side of a flooded road in El Progreso, Honduras. — Many roads and bridges are impassable after days of rain

Torrential rain caused by Tropical Storm Sara has left more than 1,700 communities in Honduras isolated.

The slow-moving storm caused widespread flooding across the Central American country.

So far, Honduran officials have confirmed only one death but said more than 110,000 people had been affected by the storm.

Forecasters said Sara was likely to weaken further on Monday as it moved across the southern Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

Many rivers burst their banks and can only be crossed by swimming

Reuters A man can be seen diving headfirst into the brown water of a river that has burst its banks in El Progreso, Honduras — Many rivers burst their banks and can only be crossed by swimming

Sara formed in the Caribbean on Thursday.

The tropical storm moved extremely slowly, dumping heavy rain on northern Honduras for four days before moving north toward Belize and Mexico.

Some areas received 500mm (19.7 inches) of rain, causing rivers to swell.

Honduran emergency authorities said nine bridges were destroyed by fast-flowing water and 19 others were damaged.

Strong currents on the Bermejo River washed away a bridge in San Pedro Sula

Reuters Pieces of metal and debris could be seen partially submerged in the floodwaters of the Bermejo River. On the other side of the river, people were standing and watching. — Strong currents on the Bermejo River washed away a bridge in San Pedro Sula

Some highways were also impassable after the landslide.

As early as Thursday, Honduran President Xiomara Castro warned people living near rivers to take shelter elsewhere, and thousands of people heeded her call.

Rescuers moved from house to house to help stranded people

Reuters A rescue worker wearing a red inflatable jacket carried a woman onto a waiting boat. As the rain fell, the road was flooded up to the rescuers' thighs. — Rescuers moved from house to house to help stranded people

Officials said more than 2,500 homes were damaged and more than 200 were destroyed.

Sara is the 18th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and the third this month.

Less than two weeks ago, Hurricane Rafael caused a nationwide power outage when it made landfall in Cuba.

Meteorologists say the storms are fueled by high sea surface temperatures.

Kevin Trenberth, a prominent scholar at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, has warned that while hurricanes and tropical storms occur naturally, climate change is caused by humans. causing is causing them to accelerate and exacerbating the risk of major damage.