No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCentral AmericaEl SalvadorTropical Storm Bonnie leaves 1 dead and damage in El Salvador

Tropical Storm Bonnie leaves 1 dead and damage in El Salvador

Tropical Storm Bonnie, which is moving through the Pacific of Central America, claimed the life of one person on Saturday in El Salvador where it also knocked down trees, flooded streets, some hospitals and homes, while authorities carried out evacuations and rescues.

“We attended to Maura Carolina Beltran, 24 years old, she died when she was swept away by a storm surge from a culvert in a community in San Martin,” some 15 km east of San Salvador, Comandos de Salvamento spokesman Herbert Vanegas told AFP.

Tropical Storm Bonnie remains close to the Salvadoran coasts, being located 270 km south of San Salvador, informed the Ministry of Environment. According to the latest update from the US National Hurricane Center (CNH), it is moving westward at 28 km/h, with winds of 95 km/h.

The Minister of the Interior, Juan Carlos Bidegaín, stated that emergencies were faced in several areas of San Salvador, but there were “no deaths, only material losses”.

“We have had more than 250 people affected, we are going to shelter them in the Polideportivo El Polvorín”, south of San Salvador, he emphasized.

In different parts of the Salvadoran capital, there were reports of falling trees and walls, and the force of the floods even dragged and overturned vehicles.

In social networks citizens shared images of the flooding of some hospitals and homes flooded by the accumulation of rainwater.

“Bonnie generated very heavy rains and thunderstorms in the coastal area, volcanic mountain range, and the metropolitan area of San Salvador, with gusts of strong winds and hail in some areas,” detailed the Ministry of Environment.

Army and Civil Protection personnel were mobilized to remove fallen trees in busy streets. In the early hours of Sunday morning, the rains were already easing in El Salvador.

Evacuate in time

The relief agency Green Cross of El Salvador, reported the collapse of at least one house and the flooding of some rivers, but so far they do not represent an imminent danger.

The director of Civil Protection, Luis Alonso Amaya, declared that “the territorial deployment that had already been made has worked perfectly, we have managed to evacuate people; we have activated the shelters in time”.

El Salvador, with a scarce 20,742 km2 and 6.7 million inhabitants, has 87% of its territory vulnerable to floods and landslides. 

Bonnie, which formed in the Caribbean, made landfall Friday night between Nicaragua and Costa Rica without leaving major damage, according to preliminary reports. It left the mainland Saturday for the Pacific where it has generated heavy rains.

“As Bonnie advances over the Pacific, rains associated with the outer bands” will affect northwestern Costa Rica, southwestern Nicaragua and southern El Salvador through tonight (Saturday), the CNH detailed.

“This rain may cause some instances of flash flooding and landslides throughout the region,” it specified.

Bonnie is expected to continue to parallel the coast of Central America over the next few days. “Further strengthening is forecast, and Bonnie is expected to become a hurricane by Monday,” when it will be off Mexico, according to the CNH.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Sees Drop in Tourism Amid Safety and Currency Concerns

International tourist arrivals to Costa Rica dropped by 2.3% between January and August compared to the same period in 2024, according to the Costa...

Looking Back at Life in Costa Rica Before Independence

Costa Rica marks 204 years of independence today, September 15, with parades and lanterns lighting up the night. For expats and visitors settling into...

Da Vinci Code author finds peace in Costa Rica while promoting new novel

Dan Brown, author of the famous novel The Da Vinci Code, which has sold more than 80 million copies, revealed that he lives in Costa...

Costa Rica Plummets in FIFA Rankings Amid World Cup Qualifier Struggles

The Costa Rican national soccer team is facing a pivotal crisis, confirmed by the latest FIFA rankings published today. La Sele fell seven spots,...

U.S. Lists Costa Rica as Major Drug Transit Country

The U.S. government has placed Costa Rica on its annual list of major drug transit or production countries for fiscal year 2026. President Donald...

FIFA Probes El Salvador Over Fan Racism in Suriname World Cup Qualifier

FIFA launched a disciplinary case against El Salvador's football federation after fans directed racist insults at Suriname players during a recent Concacaf 2026 World...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica