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Flooding kills 40 in El Salvador Deadly floods sweep El Salvador
(about 3 hours later)
At least 40 people have been killed in El Salvador by flooding caused by days of heavy rain, the government says At least 50 people have been killed in El Salvador by flooding following days of heavy rain, the government says.
The authorities have declared a state of emergency in five regions and expect to find more victims, Interior Minister Humberto Centeno told reporters. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in five regions and expect to find more victims, Interior Minister Humberto Centeno told reporters.
News of the deaths came as Hurricane Ida was poised to enter the Gulf of Mexico, experts warned. Mr Centeno said more than 20 people had died in San Vicente province.
Ida, which passed to the east of El Salvador three days ago, is not thought to have caused the severe rains. Journalist Juan Carlos Barahona told the BBC that San Vicente had almost been completely cut off by landslides and collapsed bridges.
A spokesman for the US National Hurricane Center in Florida said the rains were caused by a separate, low pressure system. Mr Barahona, of the El Salvador daily La Prensa Grafica, told the BBC that the other worst affected areas were San Salvador, La Libertad, La Paz and Cuscatlan.
A government spokesman said the affected regions were San Salvador, La Libertad, San Vicente, La Paz y Cuscatlan. Jorge Melendez, head of El Salvador's civil protection service, told AFP news agency: "Unfortunately we have to report the number of dead has increased because of the rains, we now count 50 individuals."
Ida forecast In the town of San Vicente rescue workers pulled bodies from the wreckage of houses.
A hurricane watch has been issued for coastal Louisiana and Mississippi by forecasters at the Hurricane Center. "We rescued a man this morning who had fractures, and a little girl," resident Cristian Aguilar told Reuters news agency.
It is estimated Hurricane Ida could reach the United State's northern Gulf Coast by Tuesday, but forecasters have not included New Orleans in the watch. "My son and I crossed through the floodwater and brought them here, and now she is with her parents."
Hurricane Ida
News of the deaths came as Hurricane Ida, which has now strengthened to a category two storm, was poised to enter the Gulf of Mexico.
However, Ida, which passed to the east of El Salvador three days ago, is not thought to have caused the severe rains.
The BBC's weather centre said El Salvador's rains were caused by a separate, low pressure system.
Meanwhile, a hurricane watch has been issued for coastal Louisiana and Mississippi by US forecasters.
It is estimated that Ida could reach the United State's northern Gulf Coast by Tuesday, but forecasters have not included New Orleans in the watch.
In forecasting terms, a watch means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. A hurricane warning remains in force for parts of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.In forecasting terms, a watch means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. A hurricane warning remains in force for parts of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Ida was declared a hurricane on Thursday while it was off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, before it weakened.Ida was declared a hurricane on Thursday while it was off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, before it weakened.
The storm forced thousands of people into shelters in Nicaragua, but the local authorities reported no casualties.
Ida is currently a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest on a five-step scale of intensity, but experts believe it could reach Category 2 later Sunday.
Gradual weakening of the hurricane is expected Monday.
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