Tropical Storm Sara's tracks in Honduras
It was a devastating weekend in Honduras when Tropical Storm Sara caused severe flooding. Now downgraded to a low-pressure system, Sara is now moving towards the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan.
Under water
Parts of the city of Suyapa in Honduras are completely under water after the Ulua River burst its banks as a result of heavy rainfall. Tropical Storm Sara caused major flooding in the Central American country at the weekend: At least one person was killed and thousands are displaced, the authorities reported on Sunday.
8,000 people evacuated
Rescue workers from the Honduran Red Cross brought people to safety on Saturday. Around 8,000 people have had to leave their homes as a result of the storm; around 5,000 are in emergency shelters. Some 1,700 communities were cut off from the power supply. Honduran President Xiomara Castro declared a national state of emergency for 30 days on Friday.
Bridge to nowhere
According to the Honduran authorities, around 110,000 people have been affected by the storm. Infrastructure has been severely damaged: This bridge over the Cangrajal River is completely destroyed after the passage of Sara, as is a highway. The authorities estimate that it will take several months to repair the damage.
Troubled waters
On Friday, the Atlantic Ocean on Honduras' north coast looked threatening, as the storm continued on its path. But there was some hope in neighboring countries: On Sunday, the US National Hurricane Center downgraded Sara to a low-pressure system. Parts of Belize, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua still faced heavy rainfall of up to 38 centimeters (15 inches) per square meter.
Slowly heading north
The view of Sara from space on Friday. Afterwards, the storm moved northwest and slowly approached the Mexican peninsula of Yucatan where people were on alert. "Secure loose objects and anything that could become a projectile," recommend the authorities in Mexico. The NHC forecast that Sara would continue to weaken over the mainland.
It's not over yet
People were forced to wade through the water to make progress on this road in El Progreso in northern Honduras. Although the NHC estimated Sara's maximum wind force at 55 kilometers (34 miles) per hour, it warned that the situation remained dangerous and the low-pressure system could continue to cause flooding and trigger mudslides in Central America.