(29 Jul 1996) Spanish/Nat
At least eight people were killed by tropical storm "Douglas" - formerly Hurricane Cesa in El Salvador.
Cesar killed at least 22 people on its sweep across Central America, before weakening to a tropical depression that rumbled westward across the Pacific Monday.
Hurricane Cesar lost much of its force and was downgraded to a tropical depression when it hit Nicaragua early Sunday.
It was renamed Douglas after it entered warmer waters and lost some of its force.
But swollen rivers washed away homes and bridges on Sunday night in neighbouring Costa Rica.
And heavy rains in the Gulf of Fonseca area, where Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras meet, caused mud slides and flash floods.
In El Salvador homes were washed away, like this one with five people inside.
The three adults and two children died here in the outskirts of the capital, San Salvador.
Their house was buried by a mudslide early Monday morning.
The neighbours couldn't do anything to save them.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
When we heard the loud noise we just rushed up here, but all we found was dead bodies.
SUPER CAPTION: Hector Hernandez, Resident
And at least other three people were killed by mudslides in other parts of the country.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
As a human being I feel very nervous now. I am also worried because this kind of tragedy can happen any time.
SUPER CAPTION: Isabel Fernandez, Resident
Douglas unleashed heavy rains in other countries of the region.
Three people died in Nicaragua, where an emergency was declared.
Costa Rica reported outbreaks of malaria and cholera as the flooding wiped out drinking water supplies.
The Mexican government issued a storm watch for the Pacific coast from Puerto Madero to Acapulco.
And forecasters warned that Cesar could pick up strength again as it moved west with winds of more than 34 mph (54 kph) gusting at 46 mph (74 kph).
Early Monday the storm Douglas was rumbling westward across the Pacific off Guatemala.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
