Friday, November 22, 2024

Hurricane Iota: The storm is expected to get stronger and hit Central America early next week

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Alan Binder
Alan Binder
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Iota which Friday formed In the sea, the Caribbean was concentrated around 440 miles east to southeast from the Nicaragua-Honduras border with maximum winds of 75 mph as of 2 a.m. ET on Sunday, The US National Hurricane Center said. It is expected to consolidate rapidly over the next 24 hours.

Tyler Mulden, a CNN meteorologist, said Hurricane Iota – the thirteenth hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season – is expected to continue heading west and making landfall somewhere in Central America, possibly near the Honduran-Nicaraguan border by late From Monday or early Tuesday.

The storm is expected to be at or near major hurricane strength before descending across Central America, according to the NHC. A major hurricane is a hurricane with winds of at least 111 miles per hour.

Nicaragua issued a hurricane warning from Sandy Bay Serpe to the border with Honduras, and Honduras issued a hurricane warning from the Nicaraguan border to Ponta Batuca.

Parts of these two countries can receive heavy rainfall from 2 to 3 feet, as well as life-threatening storms.

Besides damaging winds, Iota could fall from 8 to 16 inches of rain over Honduras, northern Nicaragua, eastern Guatemala and southern Belize until Thursday, the National Health Commission said, unwelcome news for an area hit by Hurricane ETA last week.

The commission said rainfall in Costa Rica, Panama and northern Colombia could reach 4 to 8 inches through Thursday, while El Salvador and southern Nicaragua could reach 2 to 4 inches in the same period.

On Saturday, the Colombian government issued a tropical storm warning for the islands of San Andres and Providencia.

The national commission said the downpour (from Iota) would lead to major life-threatening flash floods and floods in rivers, as well as landslides in areas with higher terrain.

Iota is the 30th named storm in the Atlantic this year – the more than ever For the Atlantic hurricane season.

Central America was devastated by Hurricane ETA

ETA crossed northern Nicaragua on November 3 as a Category 4 hurricane, bombarding that country, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize for several days with torrential rains. Caused serious landslides and floods, and left Dozens dead or missing.
In Central America, a devastating storm and an uncertain future
The full extent of ETA damage likely won’t be known for some time. But the strong storm, along with Coronavirus pandemic, Can be remembered As one of the worst natural disasters To hit the area.
More than 3.6 million people across Central America were affected to varying degrees by the storm, the Red Cross He said earlier this week.

Even before the storm, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala had poor public health systems that were fighting against Covid-19.

With thousands in shelters, and social distancing difficult, many fear the spread of disease. Hospitals are there now Also face the burden To combat other diseases related to the storm and floods, from dengue fever to cholera to yellow fever.

Ray Sanchez, Matt Rivers, Natalie Gallon and Taylor Ward of CNN contributed to this report.

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