Devastating floods hit Honduras by Tomasz Schafernaker
A week of incessant rain in Honduras has led to widespread flooding, landslides and severe damage to crops and property.
So far, 13 people are reported to have lost their lives, another six are missing and at least 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Vast areas of crops have been destroyed and raging rivers have demolished 62 bridges. President Manuel Zelaya has declared a national state of emergency.
The heavy rain is the result of a tropical depression that formed last week in the northwest Caribbean and has now become a large, slow moving low pressure system over the region. This is producing heavy showers, thunderstorms and persistent rain associated with this system, which is falling on already saturated or flooded ground.
The current period of intense rainfall is the latest in a string of tropical depressions to hit the country since the start of the annual wet season in May.
Over the coming few days, the low pressure system will move slowly north-westwards, with further heavy rain forecast for Honduras, Belize, Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula.
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