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Hurricane Otto: Four die as storm hits Costa Rica Tropical storm Otto kills nine in Costa Rica
(about 7 hours later)
At least four people have died and more remain missing in Costa Rica after Hurricane Otto made landfall as a category-two storm. At least nine people have been killed by tropical storm Otto in Costa Rica, officials say, as areas recorded over a month's worth of rain in a few hours.
Otto, the southernmost hurricane on record to hit Central America, struck a sparsely-populated area of southern Nicaragua on Thursday. President Luis Guillermo Solis declared three days of mourning. Some 5,500 residents had to be evacuated.
Neighbouring Costa Rica had ordered 4,000 people from the Caribbean coast. Several towns were covered by water and mud, and small bridges collapsed.
At the same time, a powerful earthquake shook Nicaragua and El Salvador, briefly triggering a tsunami alert. Otto, the southernmost hurricane on record to hit Central America, made landfall in southern Nicaragua as a category-two storm on Thursday.
The 7.0-magnitude quake in the Pacific Ocean was about 120km (75 miles) off the coast of El Salvador. There were no reports of damage or casualties but residents were initially advised to evacuate coastal areas. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the threat had passed. But it weakened rapidly and became a tropical storm as it moved into the Pacific, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. At its peak, Otto had wind speeds of up to 175km/h (110mph).
Media in Nicaragua said one woman died of a heart attack after hearing the tsunami warning. Costa Rica had not been directly hit by a hurricane since records began in 1851.
Meanwhile, in Costa Rica, President Luis Guillermo Solis said four people had been killed by Hurricane Otto. Some 30 people are reported to be missing. The deaths were reported in the area of Bagaces and Upala, south of the border with Nicaragua.
The country had not been directly hit by a hurricane since records began in 1851. Businessman Carlos Alberto Volio, 68, told Reuters news agency: "Otto leaves us in a very difficult situation, both for the country and for all of us. The recovery is going to be very hard."
At its peak, Otto had wind speeds of up to 175km/h (110mph ) but it soon weakened into a tropical storm. There were no reports of casualties in Nicaragua and damage was said to be limited.
Forecasters warned of heavy rains which they fear could cause flash floods and mudslides, with up to 50cm (20 ins) of rain expected in parts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica on Friday. Officials in both countries had evacuated areas most at risk, closed schools and mobilised emergency crews.
Otto is now moving into the Pacific, but it is feared coffee crops, that were almost ready to be picked, could have been badly damaged.
Four people died in Panama earlier this week as a result of severe weather caused by Otto's approach.Four people died in Panama earlier this week as a result of severe weather caused by Otto's approach.
A resident of Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, praised the authorities for their response. Soon after Otto's landfall on Thursday, a powerful earthquake shook Nicaragua and El Salvador, briefly triggering a tsunami alert.
"The government has been doing a great job in keeping people informed. We get messages constantly through our cell phones, mobile numbers," Gabriela Hernandez said. The 7.0-magnitude quake in the Pacific Ocean was about 120km (75 miles) off the coast of El Salvador.
There were no reports of damage or casualties related to the tremor, but media in Nicaragua said one woman died of a heart attack after hearing the tsunami warning.