Sunday, August 21, 2011

Harvey bears down on Belize

Terra Daily via AFP: Tropical Storm Harvey made landfall on Belize on Saturday, but forecasters said it was expected to fizzle out after dumping heavy rains over Central America. The eye of the storm made landfall near Dangriga and weakened as it moved farther inland.

It was moving westward at a speed of 21 kilometers (13 miles) per hour, with maximum sustained winds near 80 kilometers per hour, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center said in its 2100 GMT advisory. Located about 70 kilometers from Belize City, the storm was forecast to continue moving inland over Belize before hovering over northern Guatemala later Saturday.

Harvey was expected to produce total rain accumulations of eight to 15 centimeters (three to six inches) across Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, with up to 25 centimeters in isolated areas.

"These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, especially over higher terrain," the NHC said. In Belize and Guatemala, authorities warned people about the risks of heavy rains and a tropical wave along the Caribbean coast, but there were no reports of damage or casualties. "The phenomenon did not cause loss of life or infrastructure damage," said a top emergency services official, Juan Jose Reyes….

Tropical Storm Harvey just north of Honduras on August 19, 2011

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