Felix downgraded as Henriette heads for Mexico
Wednesday, 05 Sep 2007 11:37
Hurricane Felix arrives at the midpoint in the Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane Felix has been downgraded to a tropical storm after leaving a wake of destruction across Central America.
The formerly category five-rated storm caused the death of four people after ripping through Nicaragua.
It then headed towards Honduras and officials and emergency teams remain on alert there amid fears of mudslides and flooding.
Meanwhile, hurricane Henriette is approaching Mexico, according to the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC).
Warnings are in place along the east coast of the Baja peninsula and along the coast of mainland Mexico from Topolobampo to Bahia Kino.
"Henriette is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 5in to 10in over the west coast of mainland Mexico and over southern portions of Baja California, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches possible in mountainous areas," a NHC warning read.
"These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides."
Henriette has already lashed the Los Cabos resort in Baja California, where a holidaymaker was killed by strong waves.
Felix caused widespread damage in the north-eastern part of Nicaragua yesterday, Puerto Cabezas particularly badly hit. About 5,000 houses are believed to have been damaged and many thousands were evacuated ahead of the storm making landfall.
Both storms arrive at the midpoint of the Atlantic hurricane season and a month after more than 20 people were killed by Hurricane Dean, which like Felix was recorded as a category five storm.