Julia downgraded again to tropical storm, crosses Nicaragua towards Pacific By Reuters

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Tropical storm Julia was downgraded from a hurricane because it crossed the Central American nation of Nicaragua after slamming into its Caribbean coast early on Sunday morning and pummelling the area with rain, U.S. Nationwide Hurricane Heart (NHC) stated.

The NHC maintained its warning of the “danger of life-threatening flash floods and mudslides throughout Central America and Southern Mexico” by means of Tuesday.

The storm made landfall early on Sunday close to Laguna de Perlas, the NHC stated. By 9 a.m. native time (1500 GMT) it was round 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Managua, Nicaragua’s capital. It’s anticipated to emerge over the Pacific coast by Sunday night time earlier than transferring north alongside the coasts of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala on Sunday and Monday, in keeping with the NHC.

The Nicaraguan nationwide catastrophe system stated in a tweet on Sunday morning that residents dwelling within the path of the storm may anticipate intense rains and wind, however reported no injury to date. Native media reported lack of electrical energy in coastal zones.

Colombia President Gustavo Petro stated on social media on Sunday morning that Julia had left “gentle injury” on the nation’s Caribbean islands of San Andres and Providencia off the coast of Nicaragua.

“As quickly as air operations are restored, assist will arrive,” Petro stated.

In high-risk zones in Honduras, authorities declared a purple alert and referred to as on residents to evacuate, as rains pummeled the nation. In a Saturday tweet, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared Sunday because the “Nationwide Day of Prayer,” calling on residents to “come collectively to hope and ask for God’s safety.”

Guatemala activated 1,855 shelters throughout the nation, authorities stated on Saturday, because it awaited heavier rains on Sunday afternoon.