BELIZE CITY (Reuters) -Storm Nadine weakened to a tropical depression on Saturday as it chugged across Guatemala, after dumping heavy rain and bringing strong winds to neighboring Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
The storm is expected to swirl across Guatemala and into Mexico’s southeastern states of Chiapas and Tabasco through early Sunday, a forecast from the U.S. National Hurricane Center showed.
Nadine, moving west at about 13 mph (21 kph), was blowing maximum winds that had slowed to near 35 mph (56 kph), the NHC said.
In Guatemala, the nation’s disaster agency released a video of a river swollen with rain, threatening to spill its banks.
It recommended some residents self-evacuate, while others should reinforce their roofs, doors and windows.
Earlier in the day, strong winds were blowing as far north as 195 miles from Nadine’s center. The NHC’s tropical storm warning had stretched from Belize City to Mexican beach resorts Cancun and Cozumel.
Cancun’s beaches were empty on Saturday as tourists were advised to stay indoors.
The storm system is expected to dump four to eight inches (102 mm to 204 mm) of rain through Belize, Guatemala and Mexico, according to the NHC, with some isolated areas expected to receive more than 12 inches (305 mm) through Tuesday.
In Belize, low-lying bridges and sections of the Coastal Highway south of Belize City were at risk of being submerged, according to the nation’s principal hydrologist.
Nadine began lashing the Central American nation with rains late on Friday night, with showers and thunderstorms bringing up to 2 inches (51 mm) of rain, Belize’s chief meteorologist Ronald Gordon told Reuters.
Popular tourist destinations off mainland Belize – including San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker – were also likely facing storm damage.
Nadine will likely continue to weaken through Saturday and should dissipate over southern Mexico on Sunday, the NHC said.
(Reporting by Jose Sanchez in Belize City; Additional reporting by Mrinmay Day; Editing by Kylie Madry, Alistair Bell and Rod Nickel)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content.