'Downgraded' Tropical Storm Boris Causes Latin America Floods Affecting 100,000 People, At Least 5 Dead
Residents in Latin America, especially Chile, Mexico and Guatemala, have been advised to brace for more rains even as weather bureau said tropical storm Boris has weakened.
The Weather Network forecast the storm will still continue to dump as much as 500 mm of rain through Saturday on the affected areas.
Tropical Depression #Boris advisory 7 issued. #Boris weakens but will continue to soak eastern mexico. http://t.co/mbw53R5LbM
— Natl Hurricane Ctr (@NHC_Pacific) June 4, 2014
Remnants Of #Boris advisory 9 issued. #Boris dissipates but dangerous flash flood and mudslide threat remains. http://t.co/mbw53R5LbM
— Natl Hurricane Ctr (@NHC_Pacific) June 4, 2014
"The primary threat from Boris continues to be very heavy rainfall and the resultant flooding over southeastern Mexico during the next couple of days," Bloomberg quoted Daniel Brown, a warning-coordination meteorologist at the hurricane center in Miami.
As of 2 a.m. Pacific time, Tropical Storm Boris was 85 miles (140 kilometers) east of Salina Cruz, Mexico. With maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, it was seen moving north at 5 miles per hour.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the system could dump as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain in the region for a day alone.
"These rains are likely to result in life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the NHC added.
The national disaster relief agency in Guatemala reported at least 100,000 people have been affected by the bad weather as rains, floods and mudslides damaged homes and roads.
Tropical Storm Boris has killed five people near the Mexican border on Saturday due to a landslide. In southern Chile, according to World Bulletin, the floods have left some communities without potable drinking water and electricity. The southern regions of Los Rios, Biobio, Araucania, Los Lagos and Aysen have been reported to be cut off from the mainland due to damaged roads.
Several people stranded were placed at 4,000 people while people possibly without electricity were estimated to be over 50,000.
In late May, Hurricane Amanda dumped rains on Mexico despite the system not directly hitting the country. It was the strongest May hurricane on modern record for the Eastern Pacific.