Weaker Julia hits Nicaragua

Hurricane Julia was downgraded to a tropical storm as it crossed the Central American country of Nicaragua after slamming into its Caribbean coast early Sunday and pummeling the region with rain, the National Hurricane Center said.

The NHC maintained its warning of the “risk of lifethreatening flash floods and mudslides across Central America and Southern Mexico” through Tuesday.

The storm made landfall near Laguna de Perlas, the NHC said. By 9 a.m., it was around 65 miles east of Managua, Nicaragua’s capital. It is expected to emerge over the Pacific coast by Sunday night before moving north along the coasts of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala on Sunday and Monday, according to the NHC.

The Nicaraguan nationaldisaster system tweeted Sunday morning that residents in the storm’s path could expect intense rains and wind. Local media reported the loss of electricity in coastal zones.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the nation’s Caribbean islands of San Andres and Providencia suffered “light damage.”

Guatemala activated 1,855 shelters.