Rain, flooding leave 54 dead in Nicaragua

MANAGUA - Rain from tropical storm Matthew caused flooding that left 54 people dead and 5,000 homeless with infrastructure damage including roads and bridges, Nicaraguan authorities said.

Authorities said Tuesday that 8,000 homes had been flooded following days of rain. Hardest hit were the Nicaraguan provinces of Esteli and Matagalpa in the north, Chinandega in the north-west and Leon in the west.

Lake Managua in the capital had risen during the heavy rains in Matthew’s aftermath, threatening impoverished neighbourhoods near the shores of the lake.