Tegucigalpa, Honduras - November 17, 2024 The Choluteca River surged past its banks as Tropical Storm Sara unleashed its fury on the region, now downgraded to a tropical depression after making landfall in Belize on November 17. The storm, which previously pummeled the northern coast of Honduras, left swollen rivers and trapped residents in their homes as torrential rain continued to batter the landscape. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported that Sara would weaken further as it moved inland over the Yucatan Peninsula, yet the danger persists. In Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua, and Mexico’s Quintana Roo, up to 5 inches of rain were forecasted, with localized totals potentially reaching 15 inches. The center warned of severe flash flooding and mudslides that could devastate affected areas. Northern Honduras, however, faced the harshest threat, with potential rainfall totals climbing to an alarming 40 inches. Officials cautioned that “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” remained a grim reality as emergency response teams stayed on high alert. As the Choluteca River’s overflow brought Tegucigalpa to a standstill, communities brace for more relentless rain and potential devastation in the storm’s wake.