MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Julia hit Nicaragua’s central Caribbean coast on Sunday after lashing Colombia’s San Andres island, and a weakened storm was expected to emerge over the Pacific.
Julia hit as a Category 1 hurricane early Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph), though its winds had dipped to 75 mph (120 kph) a few hours later as it pushed across Nicaragua with heavy rains.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Julia was centered about 115 miles (190 kilometers) east of Managua, the capital, and was moving west at 16 mph (26 kph).
It said life-threatening flash floods and mudslides were possible across Central America and southern Mexico through Tuesday, with the storm expected to bring as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain in isolated areas.
At the storm approached San Andres Island east of Nicaragua, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared a “maximum alert” there as well as Providencia island to the north and asked hotels to prepare space to shelter the vulnerable population. Officials on San Andres imposed a curfew to limit people in the streets. Flights to the islands were suspended.
There were no early reports on Julia’s impact on San Andres.
In Nicaragua, authorities alerted all types of vessels to seek safe harbor.
Guillermo González, director of Nicaragua’s Disaster Response System, told official media that people at high risk had been evacuated from coastal areas by noon Saturday. The army said it delivered humanitarian supplies to Bluefields and Laguna de Perlas for distribution to 118 temporary shelters.
In Bluefields, however, life appeared little changed Saturday night, and people expressed reluctance to leave their homes.
The storm was forecast to sweep across Nicaragua and then emerge over the Pacific and skirt the coasts of El Salvador and Guatemala, a region already saturated by weeks of heavy rains.
In Guatemala, storms since early May had already caused at least 49 confirmed deaths, with six people missing. Roads and hundreds of homes have been damaged, Guatemalan officials say.
In El Salvador, where 19 people have died this rainy season, the worst rainfall was expected Monday and Tuesday, said Fernando López, the minister of environmental and natural resources. Officials said they had opened 61 shelters with the capacity to house more than 3,000 people.
Subscribe here for as low as .08 cents per day to access more content, and browse the site with fewer ads, all while supporting independent local news.
Trending news on PVDN
- Federal Government stops construction on eight more real estate developments in Puerto Vallarta Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has closed eight more construction projects in Puerto Vallarta for not submitting environmental impact authorization from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
- Majahuitas cove in Puerto Vallarta, one of the most peaceful places in Mexico Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – Majahuitas is a small, secluded cove located on the southern coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It is surrounded by lush jungle and pristine beaches that make it a paradise for those seeking an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In this essay, we will explore the history, culture,…
- American spring breaker tragically loses his life in Puerto Vallarta after falling from balcony Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – A college student from New Jersey tragically lost his life while on spring break in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, when he fell to his death from the third floor of the Melia Hotel.
- Life in Puerto Vallarta – History, Culture, Food, Beaches, and more Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – Puerto Vallarta is a beautiful coastal city in Mexico that has become a popular tourist destination over the years. With its warm weather, beautiful beaches, and lively culture, Puerto Vallarta offers a unique experience for both locals and visitors alike. In this essay, we will explore what life in Puerto Vallarta…
- Puerto Vallarta considered a main trafficking route for fentanyl Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) – According to the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena), the entry route for fentanyl and chemical precursors for its production, as the president said today, is the Pacific and, fundamentally, ports like Lázaro Cárdenas, in Michoacán, and Puerto Vallarta, in Jalisco.