Storm claims 32
22/11/2005 07:47  - (SA)  

Tropical storm kills three Storms lash Caribbean Villagers homeless after storm 200km/h Wilma reaches Florida

Tegucigalpa - The death toll in Honduras from Tropical Storm Gamma increased to at least 32, with 13 people missing, officials said late Monday.

In neighbouring Belize, five fishermen were missing at sea because of the record 27th storm of the Atlantic season, Belize media said.

Honduran authorities launched a major operation to rescue people stranded by floods in the north of the country as the storm, downgraded to a tropical depression, headed back out into the Caribbean.

The civil emergency committee (Copec) said that more than 23 000 people had fled their homes and helicopters were rescuing some people from rooftops and airlifting food to stricken areas.

A Copec spokesperson told AFP the death toll had increased to 32, from 15 earlier in the day, and that 13 people were missing.

The storm and floods washed away dozens of bridges and much of the Islas de la Bahia department was under water, officials said. About 2 000 homes were destroyed.

The Copec spokesperson said an entire family of six were buried by a mudslide in Locomapa, in Yoro Department, 240km north.

Copec helicopters were flying over the zone to find stranded victims on roofs and in trees. United Nations agencies were helping to distribute food.

What is this?    Yahoo    Digg  Del.icio.us  Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance News24 on mobile News24 on facebook profile