Hurricane Lisa menaces Central America

BELIZE CITY: The northern part of Central America was on high alert on Wednesday for the passage of Hurricane Lisa, with warnings of devastating winds, downpours and flash floods also affecting Mexico´s Yucatan peninsula.

The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) has issued a hurricane warning for Honduras´ Bay Islands, the coast of Belize and Mexico´s Yucatan area stretching from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.

Lisa was moving westward in the Caribbean Sea at a speed of 24-km per hour with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h (75 mph) and even higher gusts, said the NHC. “Additional strengthening is forecast as Lisa approaches Belize. Weakening is expected after the center makes landfall,” it added.

Heavy rains could create flash flooding conditions across Belize into northern Guatemala, the far southeast of Yucatan, the east of Chiapas state in Mexico as well as the state of Tabasco, according to the advisory.