Tropical Storm Sara - Nov 2024

Tropical Storm Sara made landfall on late 14 November near the Honduras-Nicaragua border, bringing sustained winds of 45 mph and heavy rainfall, with up to 30 inches expected in parts of northern Honduras, posing severe flooding and mudslide risks.

Sara has already affected more than 20,500 people in Honduras. Authorities have placed multiple departments under alert, with public offices and humanitarian networks standing by to support. In Belize, officials and UN teams are actively preparing for Sara’s possible landfall within 72 hours. Other countries in Central America are also evaluating potential impacts from the storm.

Sara previously left heavy rains to Panama and Costa Rica, both of which had recently taken on high rainfall from Rafael earlier in November. The non-stop rains prompted evacuations in Costa Rica and an emergency declaration in Panama. (OCHA, 15 Nov 2024)

Following its influence across north-eastern Central America, the IFRC Disaster Response and Preparedness reports three missing people and 20,000 affected in Honduras, 123,276 affected people in Belize and almost 8,000 affected people in Guatemala.

Sara is forecast to move north-west and reach the southern Gulf of Mexico, weakening and dissipating on 18 November. For the next 24 hours, moderate to locally heavy rainfall is forecast over Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua and the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. (ECHO, 18 Nov 2024)

Tropical Storm Sara has caused widespread devastation across Central America, with flooding, landslides, and river overflows reported in El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, and Guatemala. In El Salvador, 9 rivers overflowed, flooding 91 homes and forcing 800 people into shelters, while Honduras reported 247,010 affected, 6 fatalities, and extensive damage to 5,020 homes. Belize experienced localized flooding, prompting sheltering efforts and WASH interventions, though no casualties were reported. In Guatemala, Sara prompted red and orange alerts, with more than 180,000 people affected and significant housing and infrastructure damage. (OCHA, 22 Nov 2024)