State of emergency declared

(Voice of Nicaragua) - Torrential rains in Nicaragua over the past week have affected thousands, forcing Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega to declare a state of emergency in the country.

According to local media, so far about 133,800 have been affected in Nicaragua and at least eight people have died.

“We are declaring state of emergency to multiply the efforts to solve the problems faced by the people affected by this downpour“, said Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in a ceremony held in Managua.  The Nicaraguan president added that the heavy rains of recent days have also isolated 15,000 families and affected another 12,000.  People living in the town of San Francisco Libre have been cut-off after a bridge connecting the town collapsed forcing residents to move around on boats.  The rainstorm, Ortega said, has affected 14 of the 15 provinces of Nicaragua, the total country has suffered this flood and its infrastructure has been badly damaged.   The president indicated that the weather forecast predicts more rain in the coming days.

The nonstop rains in Central America last week have claimed the life of more than 80 people, while an unknown number are still missing and thousands have lost their homes and crops. 

Govement officials said that the Managua Lake has shown a strong rise in water level and that they are ready to evacuate some 600 families (3,000 people) that live at the lake shore.