Tropical Storm Eta lashes Central America, Caribbean

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Tropical Storm Eta was headed Tuesday to the north of the Yucatan Channel after killing at least 200 people in landslides in Central America and the Caribbean.

Flood waters and heavy rains also left thousands missing in the devastated region.

Eta made landfall Nov. 3 in Nicaragua as a category 4 hurricane and was downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved toward Honduras and Guatemala.

Honduras has been the worst affected in Eta’s path, with an estimated 20% of the population impacted by the storm. Authorities confirmed Monday that 57 people were killed in landslides or drowned in rivers. Many were children.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez was grateful for support received from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, China and Colombia, among others.

"My thanks on behalf of the Honduran people, to the friendly countries that have extended their hand of solidarity in these difficult times," he wrote on Twitter. “Very soon, we will move from rescue work and attention to the reconstruction of the country, making Honduras stronger and fairer for all.”

In Guatemala, at least 42 people died in mudslides but authorities warned the figure could rise dramatically. More than 100 people are missing and thousands of families have been evacuated from their homes, according to the disaster reduction authority, Conred.

The storm also claimed lives in Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize and Mexico.

The International Red Cross (IFRC) expressed concern about the possible effect of Eta on coronavirus transmission, which has the potential to become a health catastrophe in some countries.

“There are thousands of homeless people, in temporary refuges or shelters facing many vulnerabilities,” said Maria Tallarico, IFRC Health Coordinator in the Americas. “Right now, preventing the spread of COVID-19 is essential despite the enormous challenges of the emergency. It is not unlikely that we will witness a significant increase in cases in the coming weeks, due to the difficulty of applying public health measures in such a complex context.”

The storm brought heavy rain Monday to parts of Cuba, the Bahamas and southern Florida after crossing the Florida Keys.

Heavy rainfall will continue Tuesday across western Cuba and South Florida.