A deadly days-long deluge of tropical rainfall from what’s now Potential Tropical Cyclone One has flooded Central America and triggered landslides. The region has experienced significant rainfall amounts, with southern Guatemala receiving 6 to 12 inches and western portions of El Salvador drenched with 4 to 12 inches over the past week.
Tragically, at least seven people have lost their lives in El Salvador due to rain-related causes since Monday. Landslides triggered by heavy rains claimed the lives of five individuals in Tacuba, near the Guatemala border, including two minors. Additionally, two individuals lost their lives in a vehicle accident, and two others died in separate incidents involving landslides and falling trees.
The torrential storms have been fueled by robust tropical moisture swirling within the Central American gyre, a large area of showers and thunderstorms rotating over the region. This same phenomenon is contributing to the development of Potential Tropical Cyclone One, which is expected to become the first tropical storm of the hurricane season and impact Texas.
The forecast indicates that multiple months’ worth of rain could fall by the end of the week, with an additional 12 to 16 inches of rainfall expected to inundate parts of southern Guatemala and El Salvador through Friday. Some areas in El Salvador could see up to an additional 20 inches of rain, far exceeding the average rainfall for the month of June in both countries.
