Julia hits Nicaragua as hurricane, brings threats of flooding
Tropical Storm Julia is drifting westward through Nicaragua, bringing what the National Hurricane Center warns could be “life-threatening flash floods and mudslides” in Central America and southern Mexico. Up to 15 inches of rain are possible in the higher terrain of Nicaragua and El Salvador as Julia’s circulation continues to disintegrate inland and unload moisture.
Julia made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane around Laguna de Perlas, Nicaragua, at 3:15 a.m. Eastern time Sunday according to the National Hurricane Center. Maximum winds were around 85 mph. As of
11 a.m., Julia — centered 65 miles east-northeast of Managua, Nicaragua — had weakened to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds as it moved west at 15 mph.
Watches and warnings were discontinued for the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, but tropical storm warnings were in effect for the coast of El Salvador and the Pacific coast of Nicaragua and Honduras on Sunday.
The Associated Press reported several thousand people in Nicaragua were evacuated from low-lying coastal areas ahead of the storm, and local news media showed images of trees down across roads.
Before crashing ashore in Central America, Julia swept across the Colombian islands of Providencia and San Andrés — just to Nicaragua’s east. Authorities on Sunday morning said the winds and rain left minimal damage on the islands, where residents had braced for another powerful storm less than two years after Hurricane Iota ravaged the archipelago.
In a tweet Sunday morning, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said the passage of the hurricane through San Andrés left “minor damage,” including two people injured, two homes destroyed and 101 homes damaged.
“Its passage through Providencia was milder,” Petro said. “As soon as air operations are restored, aid will arrive.”
Colombia’s national disaster risk management unit reported five homes on the island of San Andrés had lost roofs, and four sectors of the island experienced flooding.
Everth Hawkins, governor of the archipelago of San Andrés and Providencia, said in an interview on W Radio on Sunday morning authorities were able to begin evaluating the condition of the island around 2 a.m. and found several fallen trees on homes and roof tiles ripped off houses. About four or five homes in Providencia were damaged, Hawkins said.
While authorities continued to assess the impact of the storm, Hawkins said the damage was not “catastrophic,” and paled in comparison to the destruction of Iota nearly two years ago, especially on the hard-hit island of Providencia.
Julia is the 10th named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. The season to date has defied forecasts of an active season, with activity thus far only about 81 percent of average.