Honduras is under a state of emergency after heavy floods and mudslides over the past week officially killed 24 people. Rescue services official Randolfo Funez said that 24,000 houses were destroyed and over 19,000 people have been left homeless as the rains are expected to continue in the upcoming days.The torrential downpours have been deadly in other parts of Central America with 17 dead in Nicaragua and six killed in Costa Rica.
In 1998, Hurricane Mitch killed 10,000 people throughout the region though one senor charity official claimed that the current rains could be worse:
"This is the worst disaster this country has seen since Hurricane Mitch," said Arnaldo Bueso Hernandez, CARE's Program Director in Honduras. "And in some ways, this is worse. During Hurricane Mitch, the damages were limited to specific areas. Now, almost the entire country has been devastated - 17 out of the18 areas of the country are damaged. Everybody needs help."Image- Sky News (“A local carries the coffin for Pablo Godoy, 3, who drowned during floods in Honduras.”)
Sources- earthtimes.org, Reuters Alertnet, miamiherald.com, Reuters Africa, BBC News
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