At least 30 dead, thousands evacuated as torrential rain hits Central America

At least 30 people have died and thousands forced to evacuate their homes as storms and heavy rainfall continue to lash Central America, according to local officials, with the constant downpours flooding rivers, destroying homes, triggering landslides and cutting off entire communities.

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The Salvadoran authorities on June 21 said the death toll had reached 19, among them six children, while more than 3,000 people remain in temporary shelters.

"We must save people's lives," Mr Luis Amaya, who heads El Salvador's civil protection agency, told reporters on June 21. "Material goods come and go, but now we must focus on protecting lives." The Guatemalan authorities on June 21 reported 10 deaths, and nearly 11,000 people evacuated.