Ida reaches hurricane force, batters Nicaraguan island as it heads for landfall on mainland

Ida reaches hurricane force near Nicaragua

MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Tropical Storm Ida grew to hurricane force just off Nicaragua’s coast on Thursday, forcing more than 2,000 people to flee their homes and knocking out power to some parts of the impoverished region.

The hurricane was forecast to slash into Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast within hours, then cut across Honduras before emerging over open water on Saturday — a still-tentative path that could carry it near Mexico’s resort of Cancun by midweek.

Ida was centered 60 miles (100 kilometers) north-northeast of coastal Bluefields early Thursday with winds of 75 mph (120 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

It could dump as much as 20 inches (500 millimeters) of rain in parts as it crosses eastern Nicaragua, with the risk of flash floods and mudslides, according to the Miami-based center.

There were no immediate reports of deaths, but Nicaragua’s National Civil Defense director Mario Perez said more than 2,000 people had been evacuated — 800 of those from flimsy, makeshift homes on Corn Island and nearby Little Corn Island, where strong winds damaged about 45 homes, toppled trees and knocked out power. Residents were taken to the port authority building and concrete hotels.

About 2,500 people live on the two islands, which are popular tourist destinations.

“There is no electricity on the island and telephone is out and there is little water,” Perez said.

About 1,100 people had been evacuated in Bluefields, Perez said.

Heavy rains and winds kept officials from evacuating about 80 people on Cayos Perla, but authorities said they planned to used speedboats to get them out.

Nicaragua issued a hurricane warning for the coast from Bluefields to Puerto Cabezas.