Tropical storm ‘Pilar’ lurks over El Salvador

Monday, October 30, 2023

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency on Sunday over tropical storm Pilar.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) expects the storm to dump heavy rains and cause floods along the coast within the next 48 hours.

The government issued a “red” alert, the highest of a four-level scale, and suspended classes.

The emergency decree will enable the government to direct funds to handle the situation. There are reports of flooding on the central coast and in the east.

Pilar is expected to be near El Salvador’s coast on Tuesday night or early Wednesday. But, the NHC said in an advisory issued late on Sunday that people should stay offshore.

Winds are currently near 40 miles per hour (65 km/h), the NHC said. It also notes that they could grow fiercer.

According to a forecast by NHC, ‘Pilar’ may gain additional strength and take in the shape of a hurricane by Tuesday.

The Mexican city of Acapulco on the Pacific coast is reeling from Hurricane Otis that last week caused massive destruction as a Category 5 storm, killing 48 people.

Honduras has also issued a Tropical Storm Watch for its Pacific coast, according to the NHC.

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