Hurricane Earl makes landfall in Belize

A hurricane whipping up maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour barreled down on coastal Belize early Thursday, as officials across Central America warned of possible flooding and damage.

A Category I hurricane, Earl was expected to slow down after it makes landfall, but rain "could cause flash floods and mudslides especially over higher terrain," Belize's National Emergency Management Organization said.

"For coastal areas, there is also a risk for flooding, especially in low-lying areas," it said.

Category 1 is the lowest of five grades on the hurricane scale. Such hurricanes have the power to tear off roofs, take down trees and cause damage to power lines.

The hurricane clipped northern Honduras on Wednesday, dumping rains before making landfall near Belize City, which has a population of 60,000. It was expected to go into Guatemala and southern Mexico.

The US National Hurricane Center warned that the impact of hurricanes extended beyond the center. "Their effects can span many hundreds of miles from the center," it said.

cw/kl (AFP, AP)