Weakening Hanna soaks waterlogged northern Nicaragua, eastern Honduras

MANAGUA, Nicaragua – Hanna made landfall near the Nicaragua-Honduras border Monday as a tropical storm, bringing heavy rains to an already waterlogged area.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm was forecast to dump as much as 10 to 12 inches (25-30 centimetres) of precipitation with higher isolated amounts, threatening dangerous flash floods and landslides.

Late Monday, the centre said Hanna had weakened into a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph), but warned that rains would continue over northeastern Nicaragua and eastern Honduras.

Thousands of people in northern Nicaragua were already in shelters after heavy rains last week caused flooding and damaged roads.

The Nicaraguan navy said 17 people were rescued from two sailboats that capsized off the country’s Caribbean coast.

The Hurricane Center said Hanna was expected to dissipate by Tuesday.

Monday evening, Hanna’s centre was about 70 miles (115 kilometres) west-southwest of Cape Gracias a Dios, on the border between the two countries. The storm was heading west near 7 mph (11 kph).