Tropical Storm Sara was moving on Saturday toward Belize and southeastern Mexico after leaving thousands affected, material damages, and isolated areas due to flooding in its path through Central America, especially in Honduras. Sara was located 45 kilometers west-northwest of the Honduran island of Roatan and 175 kilometers southeast of the Belizean capital, while moving at 7 kilometers per hour to the west, according to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the United States.
'Tropical storm conditions are expected along portions of the northern coast of Honduras, the Bay Islands, the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, the coast of Belize, and portions of the coast of Mexico, where tropical storm warnings are in effect,' the agency reported.
In Honduras, the impact of the tropical cyclone, which became a storm on Thursday, resulted in one fatality and 55,709 affected individuals, along with 146 communities cut off, five destroyed bridges, and 20 damaged roads, according to authorities.
In Nicaragua, authorities reported one person missing after being swept away by the current and one injured due to a fallen tree, as well as more than 2,000 evacuated. A total of 15 municipalities in seven departments were particularly affected, and 18 rivers overflowed.
In Belize, where Sara is expected to arrive on Sunday to become a depression once it makes landfall, the government issued a flood warning and highlighted, among the main dangers associated with the cyclone, excessive rain, strong winds, and storm surge.
In Mexico, the National Water Commission expects 'very strong to intense point rains' in the Yucatan Peninsula and 'waves of 1 to 3 meters in height, strong winds, and possible formation of waterspouts off the coast of Quintana Roo,' where important tourist centers such as Cancun are located.
