Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Heavy rains kill at least 84 in Central America

Police officers check a pickup truck that felt into a hole at the Panamerican highway, caused by heavy rains at La Cuesta de la Moramulca, 52 km. from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

Police officers check a pickup truck that felt into a hole at the Panamerican highway, caused by heavy rains at La Cuesta de la Moramulca, 52 km. from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

Police officers check a pickup truck that felt into a hole caused by heavy rains at the Pan American an highway La Cuesta de la Moramulca, 52 Km. from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

People walk on a flooded road of Marcovia Choluteca, Honduras, Monday, Oct. 17, 2011. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)

A child walks on a flooded street in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday, Oct. 17, 2010. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. Officials in Nicaragua said at least five people had died there with the rain abating somewhat. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

A man walks on a flooded street as other sits in Managua, Nicaragua, Monday, Oct. 17, 2010. Central American authorities said on Sunday that at least 66 people had died in six days of heavy rains that caused landslides, floods and bridge failures throughout the region. Officials ordered evacuations as the rain was expected to continue. Officials in Nicaragua said at least five people had died there with the rain abating somewhat. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

(AP) ? A week of heavy rains across Central America have caused landslides, floods and bridge collapses that have left at least 84 people dead, authorities said Monday. Nine others are missing.

El Salvador's director of civil protection, Jorge Melendez, said the rain will continue until at least Wednesday because of the presence of two low pressure systems in the area.

The amount of rain over the last seven days exceeds the cumulative record of Hurricane Mitch, which devastated the region in 1998, killing 11,000 people, Melendez said.

El Salvador and Nicaragua leaders declared natural disasters on Monday.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom reached out to congress to speed budget decisions to funnel money for the affected.

In El Salvador, 32 people have been killed because of the rains, while Guatemala added 31 fatalities. Another 13 people were killed in Honduras, and Nicaragua's First Lady and spokesman Rosario Murillo said eight have died in Nicaragua.

The rains have affected about 250,000 people. Thousands of them were staying in shelters.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2011-10-18-LT-Salvador-Central-America-Rains/id-8691c622152442da9004c80683cbab69

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