After it made landfall near Belize City, Earl was downgraded to a tropical storm, and it is forecast to move over the southern Yucatan Peninsula or northern Guatemala. Earl is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday night or Friday morning.
Advertisement
Terrified residents fled their inundated homes as the storm tore through the small Caribbean state of Belize and into neighbouring Guatemala, knocking down trees and electricity lines.
There was still some phone service, but television and radio stations were largely off the air.
The storm system that built into Hurricane Earl as it hit the Central American country of Belize has mellowed into a tropical storm. Earl was also heading west at 12 mph (19 kph); as per the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storms movement is assumed to be the same in the following days.
Tropical Storm Earl, which has already caused damage in Belize, is prompting hundreds of people to seek shelter as emergency officials warn of possible flooding and mudslides Friday.
The National Emergency Management Organization however said that there has been “major infrastructure and building damage”. NOAA’s GOES-West satellite spotted Ivette nearly 900 miles southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico on August 3.
The Belize Tourism Board has taken adequate precautions by cancelling all cruise trips, and keeping on hold all kind of archeological reserves and operations at the Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport.
Authorities in the surrounding northeastern Guatemalan district of Peten said 350 people were affected in that area alone.
Advertisement
What’s left of former Tropical Storm Howard could bring heavy rain to Hawaii this weekend, as forecasters keep an eye on Tropical Storm Ivette in the East Pacific.
