Death toll from Central America storms tops 150

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador – Heavy rains pounded Central America for a fourth day Wednesday, pushing rivers over their banks, flooding communities and unleashing at least two deadly mudslides as the region’s death toll increased to more than 150 people.

Hurricane Stan, which had helped spawn rainstorms in Central America, weakened to a depression over the southern state of Oaxaca on Wednesday, a day after making landfall along Mexico’s Gulf coast. But punishing rains continued in parts of Central America and southern Mexico.

Heavy rains brought flooding and mudslides to 88 communities in neighboring Guatemala, where officials reported 79 people killed and 49 injured. That tally included a mudslide that buried several homes and claimed 15 lives near the tourist destination of Lake Atitlan.

Guatemalan President Oscar Berger called on Congress to declare a national state of emergency, allowing the government to force evacuations of dangerous areas.

In El Salvador, President Tony Saca said late Wednesday night that 62 people had been killed, mostly by landslides, following days of nonstop rain throughout the country. Nearly 41,000 others fled their homes for 360 shelters set up nationwide.