Strong storms hit C. America, Colombia

With the start of the hurricane season coming up this Sunday, several Central American countries are being affected by Tropical Storm Alma. Costa Rica has already suffered over twenty-four consecutive hours of rain, while Alma is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by the time it lands in Nicaragua and Honduras tomorrow.

In Colombia, an estimated 100,000 people have been left homeless after weeks of ongoing rains have overflowed several rivers and caused landslides. A Colombian Red Cross official said that 26 of the country’s 32 provinces are under “emergency” due to the wet winter.

Parts of the Caribbean may also face its share of heavy rain this weekend according to meteorologist Dr. Joe Sobel:

The first (major Atlantic) storm is in the southwest Caribbean to the east of Panama where we have seen clusters of thunderstorms come and go over the last week or so…The showers and thunderstorms associated with it may drift to the north or northwest with time and by Friday or the weekend it may be wetter in Cancun and Cozumel or western Cuba than it is now.

Sources- Canadian Press, MSNBC, CNN, Xinhua, Dr. Joe Sobel’s Weather Blog

Image- CNN (“Residents and police officers push through the flooded streets of Honda, Colombia, on Tuesday.”)