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MIAMI, Florida, November 4,2020 (ENS) – Slow-moving, wet and windy, Hurricane Eta made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, on the coast of Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Tuesday afternoon. Eta had maximum sustained winds near 140 mph at landfall, but by Wednesday morning the winds had dropped to tropical storm status with 70 mph winds, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. The death toll rose to three in Honduras and Nicaragua on Wednesday one day after Hurricane Eta made landfall. Torrential rainfall caused major flooding, leading to dramatic rescues. Widespread power outages and damaged infrastructure from the overflowing rivers and landslides have devastated the two countries. Two Nicaragua residents perished in a landslide while working in a mine in Bonanza, the Associated Press reports. In Honduras, pummeling rains set off a mudslide, claiming the life of a 12-year-old girl in San Pedro Sula, Director of the Honduras Emergency Management Agency Guillermo Gonzalez told the AP. Honduran authorities declared a National Emergency and issue a red alert for the entire country on Wednesday due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Eta. More than 2,000 people were evacuated in Honduras because of Eta, the country’s Permanent Contingency Commission reported Wednesday. The storm destroyed bridges, roads and more than 330 homes, the commission said.
