Nicaragua Evacuates Thousands at Approach of Tropical Storm Beta
At least 8,000 residents along the Prinzapolka River and in Puerto Cabezas urban areas have been evacuated ahead of Tropical Storm Beta, expected to hit Nicaraguan Atlantic areas by Sunday.

Civil Defense chief of the North Atlantic Autonomous Region, Major Gustavo Ramos, told journalists on Friday that 600 troops will deal with evacuees and any emergencies that may arise.

Members of the National Army's Humanitarian Aid and Rescue Unit were sent to these areas after a yellow alert was decreed.

Beta, the 23rd tropical storm of the current hurricane season, is moving slowly through the western Caribbean, threatening to become a hurricane before it touches the Nicaraguan Atlantic coast in 24-36 hours.

According to weather forecasts, Beta is expected to gain in intensity from its present sustained winds of 62 mph before it enters Nicaragua near Auastara, 22 miles northeast of Puerto Cabezas, either on Saturday night or Sunday morning.

At least 21 refugee centers are ready in Puerto Cabezas, the capital of Nicaragua's northern Caribbean, the country's National System of Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Attention (SINAPRED).