The torrential rains in the Central American nation, one of the poorest in the Americas, forced the evacuations of some 2,600 people, said civil defense head Mario Perez-Cassar.

The rains caused rivers to burst their banks and sodden hillsides to collapse, blocking roads in a country prone to deadly storms and flooding.

Forecasters warned the rains were likely to continue with thunderstorms and strong winds.



Agencies