Hurricane Eta strengthens to a dangerous Category 4, bears down on Nicaragua, Honduras
Hurricane Eta tripled in strength in 24 hours and was bearing down on Nicaragua and Honduras Tuesday morning as a dangerous Category 4 storm, with winds of 150 mph and heavy rains already causing rivers to flood. Eta is expected to crawl over Central America for several days, dumping 10 to 35 inches of rain before passing back into the Caribbean. "This rainfall would lead to catastrophic, life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding, along with landslides in areas of higher terrain of Central America," the National Hurricane Center forecast.
Nicaragua and Honduras evacuated residents from coastal islands and low-lying coastal areas in preparation for Eta's arrival. The hurricane is drawing comparisons to 1998's Hurricane Mitch, one of the most destructive Atlantic hurricanes on record, blamed for more than 9,000 deaths. Eta is the 28th named Atlantic storm this year — tying a 2005 record, though it is the first to reach the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet because one of the 2005 storms was retroactively included one of the 28 storms. It is also the fifth major hurricane this year and the eight to meet the definition for rapid intensification. The hurricane season doesn't end until Nov. 30.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A cyclone's aftermath, a fearless leap, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
The Imaginary Institution of India: a 'compelling' exhibition
The Week Recommends 'Vibrant' show at the Barbican examines how political upheaval stimulated Indian art
By The Week UK Published
-
Caroline Quentin shares her favourite books
The Week Recommends The actor shares works by Patrick Hamilton, Liz Knight and Elizabeth Taylor
By The Week UK Published
-
Hundreds feared dead in French Mayotte cyclone
Speed Read Cyclone Chido slammed into Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Thirteen missing after Red Sea tourist boat sinks
Speed Read The vessel sank near the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Global plastics summit starts as COP29 ends
Speed Read Negotiators gathering in South Korea seek an end to the world's plastic pollution crisis, though Trump's election may muddle the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden visits Amazon, says climate legacy irreversible
Speed Read Nobody can reverse America's 'clean energy revolution,' said the president, despite the incoming Trump administration's promises to dismantle climate policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
At least 95 dead in Spain flash floods
Speed Read Torrential rainfall caused the country's worst flooding since 1996
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cuba roiled by island-wide blackouts, Hurricane Oscar
Speed Read The country's power grid collapsed for the fourth time in just two days
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Wildlife populations drop a 'catastrophic' 73%
Speed Read The decline occurred between 1970 and 2020
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Floridians flee oncoming Hurricane Milton
Speed Read The hurricane is expected to cause widespread damage in the state
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published