Tropical Storm Hanna Soaks Nicaragua, Honduras

Tropical Storm Hanna made landfall near the Nicaragua-Honduras border Monday, 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 centimeters) of precipitation with higher isolated amounts, threatening dangerous flash floods and landslides.

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.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for northeastern Honduras, and the Nicaraguan government issued a yellow alert for the region.

The Hurricane Center reported that Hanna had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph). The storm was expected to weaken as it moved inland and dissipate by Tuesday.

Monday afternoon, Hanna’s center was about 55 miles (85 kilometers) west-southwest of Cape Gracias a Dios, on the border between the two countries. The storm was heading west near 7 mph (11 kph).