Photo courtesy shows citizens securing a school to use it as a shelter during the waiting for the arrival of Hurricane Otto, in the municipality of San Juan de Nicaragua, southern Nicaragua on November 24, 2016. EFE/Erick Morales
Managua, Nov 24 (EFE).- Hurricane Otto, a Category 2 storm that made landfall Thursday on Nicaragua's southeastern coast, is bringing torrential rain and heavy winds to the region bordering Costa Rica, authorities reported.
The eye of the storm, which is packing sustained winds of 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour, came ashore at San Juan de Nicaragua, the head of Nicaragua's Ineter weather institute, Marcio Baca, told reporters.
He said that Otto was also bringing wind gusts of greater than 190 kph in some parts of the country.
In San Juan de Nicaragua, a town of some 2,600 in the extreme southern portion of Nicaragua's Caribbean zone on the border with Costa Rica, hundreds of shelters have been opened where at least 400 people are being housed. The public bought food and other supplies and the area was tensely calm in advance of the storm.
An official with the Sinapred national disaster service, Johnny Gutierrez, said via telephone from San Juan de Nicaragua that intense winds were being felt, along with heavy rain and high waves.
He also said that the public had taken refuge in churches and schools set up as shelters and will remain there "until the storm passes."
The Nicaraguan government on Thursday extended the red alert throughout the southern part of the country, where more than one million people live, in advance of Hurricane Otto's arrival.
In addition, Sinapred ordered members of rescue units to "be ready" for possible emergencies, including making rescues, evaluating damage and the needs of the public, as well as providing shelter to local residents.
Sinapred also issued a ban on traveling in the coastal area and recommended that the public in the zone remain inside their homes and take proper precautions to safeguard themselves.
The government is maintaining a yellow alert throughout the rest of the country, meaning that the public and the authorities must remain ready to evacuate.
School classes nationwide were suspended, including at private universities.
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