MANAGUA, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Tropical Storm Nate has left at least four people dead and nine missing, as well as extensive material damage in Nicaragua, as the country saw widespread flooding.
On Thursday, Vice President Rosario Murillo confirmed that the storm had damaged at least 25 towns across 11 departments as Nate unleashed intense rainfall across the Central American country.
In a preliminary report, Murillo said that rescue operations were ongoing across Nicaragua as missing people reports continued to come in.
One farmer was the first to be reported missing on Wednesday night as he tried to cross a river near the Honduran border.
President Daniel Ortega issued a yellow alert on Wednesday, before suspending all classes from kindergarten to university on Thursday, in an effort to help the country cope with the extensive rainfall.
Tropical Storm Nate was near the Honduran border on Thursday afternoon, but it is forecast to progress to become a hurricane by Saturday as it hits Cancun and moves into the Gulf of Mexico.
Early forecast models showed it taking aim this weekend at the central U.S. Gulf Coast, likely as a minor Hurricane, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
