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Belize and Honduras braced as tropical storm Earl nears hurricane force Storm upgraded to Hurricane Earl as it threatens Belize and Honduras
(about 4 hours later)
Tropical storm Earl neared hurricane force on Wednesday as it bore down on the Bay Islands of Honduras and the Caribbean nation of Belize. Tropical storm Earl has been upgraded to a hurricane as it bears down on the coast of Central America, threatening flash floods and mudslides in parts of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and the Yucatán peninsula of Mexico.
The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said that Earl was threatening to bring heavy rains, flooding and high winds to Mexico, Belize and Honduras, and was likely to blow past Honduras’s Roatán island, a popular tourist destination, on Wednesday afternoon. The US National Hurricane Center in Miami said Earl had top sustained winds on Wednesday of 75mph (120kph). It was moving west at 14mph toward Belize and was about 150 miles (240km) east of Belize City.
A two-day red alert was issued for the Bay Islands, after a fishing vessel with 82 crew members capsized in the storm, according to an emergency official. All were safely rescued. Four hundred people have so far been evacuated from the Central American country’s northern islands Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, a spokesman for Belize’s national emergency management organization told Reuters.
The islands’ main airport in Roatán was closed, as were two others near the Caribbean coast on the mainland. Belize’s government opened storm shelters and used radio and television broadcasts to urge residents of low-lying areas to move to higher ground.
The Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernández, ordered classes canceled in seven Atlantic provinces, and the head of the country’s emergency commission warned of torrential rains, particularly along the northern coast.
In Belize, the government opened storm shelters and used radio and television broadcasts to urge residents of low-lying areas to move to higher ground. The shelters were still empty on Wednesday morning, however.
Officials also ordered the international airport in Belize City to close, as well as archaeological reserves and national parks. The Belize tourism board announced that cruise ship calls have been canceled for this week.Officials also ordered the international airport in Belize City to close, as well as archaeological reserves and national parks. The Belize tourism board announced that cruise ship calls have been canceled for this week.
The government’s chief meteorologist, Dennis Gonguez, said the storm should begin affecting the country around 6pm local time and will probably make landfall as a category 1 hurricane. The government’s chief meteorologist, Dennis Gonguez, said the storm should begin affecting the country around 6pm local time
Long lines of traffic formed at gas stations around the country as residents filled their tanks in advance of Earl’s arrival. Stores were also busy with people buying water and food.Long lines of traffic formed at gas stations around the country as residents filled their tanks in advance of Earl’s arrival. Stores were also busy with people buying water and food.
At the Palms Oceanfront Suites in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Ana Ico said the hotel began preparing two days ago and gave guests the option to evacuate to the mainland or stay at the hotel. About 12 guests have chosen to stay, Ico said.At the Palms Oceanfront Suites in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, Ana Ico said the hotel began preparing two days ago and gave guests the option to evacuate to the mainland or stay at the hotel. About 12 guests have chosen to stay, Ico said.
“Some of them have decided to stay so what we’re doing is we’re giving them some water, flashlights and informing them as we get updated on the storm,” she said. Other guests chose to move to the mainland.“Some of them have decided to stay so what we’re doing is we’re giving them some water, flashlights and informing them as we get updated on the storm,” she said. Other guests chose to move to the mainland.
Belize, Mexico and Honduras issued tropical storm warnings for some areas, and a hurricane warning was issued for part of Mexico. Honduras issued a two-day red alert for the Bay Islands, a popular tourist destination NEWafter 88 shipwrecked fishermen were rescued off the country’s Mosquito Coast. Two men were still missing, a spokeman for the country’s emergency agency told ReutersEND NEW
Diving destination Roatán off the coast of Honduras closed its airport on Wednesday as heavy rains moved in. The Bay islands’ main airport in Roatán was closed, as were two others near the Caribbean coast on the mainland.
The Honduran president, Juan Orlando Hernández, ordered classes canceled in seven Atlantic provinces, and the head of the country’s emergency commission warned of torrential rains, particularly along the northern coast.
On Sunday, Earl was a weaker tropical wave but knocked down power lines and started a fire that killed six passengers on a bus in the Dominican Republic.On Sunday, Earl was a weaker tropical wave but knocked down power lines and started a fire that killed six passengers on a bus in the Dominican Republic.