Hurricane Julia makes landfall on Nicaraguan coast, unleashes devastation

Hurricane Julia made landfall on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast early on Sunday morning, bringing with it the risk of mudslides and flash flooding throughout Central America, according to the US National Hurricane Center.

At 0715 GMT, the storm made landfall close to the Laguna de Perlas region with maximum sustained winds estimated at 140 kph, according to the weather service.

Fishermen were busy securing their boats in Bluefields hours earlier as others rushed to buy groceries and withdraw cash from ATMs, one of the major coastal towns anticipated to be buffeted by the storm.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

By midnight, AFP photographers in the city reported feeling hurricane-force gusts and torrential rains, while state media reported detached roofs, downed trees, and power outages.

According to a representative of the environment ministry, Julia travelled over three Colombian islands before making landfall in Nicaragua, unleashing rain and lightning in the nation's north.

President of Colombia Gustavo Petro declared the region to be on "highest alert" and instructed hotels to make space available for use as shelters, despite the fact that officials on the islands, which are home to roughly 48,000 people, reported no substantial damage or injuries.

According to the five-stage Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale, Julia is categorised as a Category One storm, which is the weakest category.

According to the NHC, it is anticipated to cross Nicaragua on Sunday before continuing to move close to or along the Pacific coasts of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala through Monday.

Around 6,000 people have been evacuated from Nicaragua, including residents of Laguna de Perlas, the Miskito keys off the coast, and other areas.

Javier Duarte, a cabinetmaker in Bluefields, told AFP that "we have to prepare with food, plastic, and a little bit of everything, since we don't know what's going to happen."

The municipality, which has about 60,000 residents, is full of flimsy buildings.

The NHC warned that "across Central America and Southern Mexico until early next week," torrential rain could cause "life-threatening flash floods and mudslides."

As of 7:15 GMT on Sunday, the storm's centre was roughly 50 kilometres northeast of Bluefields, according to the NHC.

Less than two weeks have passed since the horrific Hurricane Ian, one of the deadliest US storms ever, made landfall in the southwest of the US state of Florida.

On the west coast of the Sunshine State, the Category 4 storm completely devastated entire neighbourhoods. According to American media, at than 100 individuals died.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: