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Honduras declares preventive alert in two departments due to heavy rains and river overflows
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Honduras declares preventive alert in two departments due to heavy rains and river overflows

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Honduras's emergency management agency declared a 72-hour preventive alert in two eastern departments due to an tropical wave causing heavy rains and river overflows.
  • The alert affects Gracias a Dios and five municipalities in Olancho, where communities have already experienced flooding, damaging crops and infrastructure.
  • The tropical wave is expected to bring more intense rains nationwide, increasing risks of urban flooding, landslides, and river level rises, while other regions face severe drought.

Honduras has placed two eastern departments under a 72-hour preventive "green alert" as a tropical wave triggers intense rainfall and causes rivers to overflow. The National Directorate of Risk Management and Civil Protection (Copeco) issued the alert for the entire Gracias a Dios department and five municipalities in Olancho, bordering Nicaragua.

The alert is in effect starting today for the entire department of Gracias a Dios, in the Caribbean, and five municipalities in the department of Olancho.

— CopecoAnnouncing the preventive alert for specific regions.

Communities in Gracias a Dios, a region with indigenous populations, have already suffered the impact of heavy rains since Saturday. Towns like Wampusirpi, Ahuas, and Brus Laguna experienced flooding due to the swollen Patuca River. Local authorities in Gracias a Dios declared an emergency after weekend rains damaged corn and rice crops, livestock, and infrastructure.

The tropical wave, which will affect almost the entire country, entered today through the Caribbean region, but since Saturday the rains have caused floods in communities such as Wampusirpi, Ahuas and Brus Laguna due to the rise of the Patuca River, which flows into the Caribbean.

— CopecoDescribing the immediate impact of the tropical wave.

Copeco forecasts that rainfall will intensify from Tuesday, with the tropical wave's remnants continuing to influence the weather through Thursday. The agency warned of potential urban flooding, rising river levels, and landslides, particularly in vulnerable hillside areas. Residents are urged to follow official recommendations to prevent loss of life.

The rains will be more intense starting Tuesday, and on Wednesday 'the influence of the upper trough will continue along with the remnants of the tropical wave, maintaining conditions of rain and showers in much of the national territory,' warned Copeco.

— CopecoForecasting the weather progression.

This widespread flooding in the east contrasts sharply with a severe drought affecting other parts of Honduras, including the capital, Tegucigalpa. The capital faces drastic water rationing as its two main reservoirs risk drying up within 40 days, according to Mayor Juan Diego Zelaya.

The two most important reservoirs could dry up in 40 days.

— Juan Diego ZelayaHighlighting the severity of the drought in Tegucigalpa.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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