Tropical Storm Earl Hits Mexico, Maintains Intensity

Tropical Storm Earl hits Mexico, maintains intensity

PUERTO BARRIOS, Guatemala,(APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Augst,2016) - Tropical storm Earl hit Mexico on Thursday after weakening from a hurricane over Central America, but continued to cause evacuations amid persistent fears of flooding. Earlier in the day, terrified residents fled their inundated homes as the storm tore through the small Caribbean state of Belize and into neighboring Guatemala with fierce winds, knocking down trees and electricity lines. After sweeping into the southern Mexican state of Tabasco around 7 pm (0000 GMT Friday), Earl is expected to maintain strength on Friday. "Somewhat surprisingly, Earl has maintained tropical storm intensity this evening," the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said at 0200 GMT on Friday after having earlier predicted the storm would weaken.

"Maximum sustained winds are near 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour) with higher gusts." The storm is forecast to move inland for good over south-central Mexico during Friday and dissipate in around 48 hours, the NHC said. "The main threat from Earl continues to be heavy rains over a large portion of Central America and southeastern Mexico." A tropical storm warning has been issued for Mexico's southern Bay of Campeche coast.