The president declared a state of emergency at the conclusion of an emergency meeting to analyze the situation after heavy rains. | Photo: @GobiernoHN

Tegucigalpa, September 25 (RHC)-- Honduran President Xiomara Castro has declared a national emergency due to the latest rains in the Central American country, which have left at least nine dead and more than 17,000 people affected.

Through a press release from the presidency, the coordinating minister of the Cabinet, stated that the president declared the state of emergency at the conclusion of an emergency meeting to analyze the situation after the heavy rains that have hit the country in recent days.

President Castro's decision was presented to the Council of Ministers to be later voted by the members of the Cabinet for its subsequent publication in the official newspaper La Gaceta.  In addition, Xiomara Castro ordered her ministers to go to the areas affected by the floods which so far have left more than 17,000 people affected.

The ministers must inform the Honduran head of state about the conditions in the area under their responsibility before making any decisions.  The Secretariat of Risk Management and National Contingencies (Copeco) informed the President about the delicate situation in the country in order to identify risk areas and take preventive actions.

The Honduran entity maintains an emergency red alert in two departments of the country, and a precautionary yellow alert in thirteen others due to heavy rains.

The red alert is also maintained in eight municipalities of the departments of Cortés, Yoro and Atlántida, north and Caribbean of the Central American country.