Flooding Rains Put Northwest Nicaragua on Red Alert

When it rains…it really rains. President Daniel Ortega put the town of Chinandega and surrounding parts of northwestern Nicaragua on red alert over this past weekend as heavy rains destroyed roads and homes, forcing nearly 4,500 people to be evacuated. The government warned that León, Carazo, and Esteli are in slightly less danger from the rains, which have pelted the country for a week.

Several highways near Chinandega are considered impassable, and drivers were temporarily backed up on the Pan American highway, one of the most modern and pothole-free roads to crisscross the country. Meanwhile, the Estero Real and Hato Grande rivers are bulging past their banks, threatening further damage.

Nicaragua’s civil defense agency estimates that 10,000 people around Chinandega, a bustling town famous for its Flor de Caña rum factory, have been affected by the flooding. Granada and Managua have been less affected by the heavy rains, but the government is urging caution in these cities until the storm subsides.

The week-long downpour follows an already wet rainy season, which fortunately ends this month. After a relatively dry 2006, Nicaragua’s Institute for Territorial Studies predicts that for 2007 the country will get 75% more rain than normal by the end of October.

Your Latin America Insider,

Suzan Haskins
for International Living