1996: Hurricane Cesar-Douglas
As Cesar approached Central America, Hurricane Warnings were posted 31 hours before landfall, leaving ample time to prepare for the hurricane. With Hurricane Joan occurring only 8 years prior, 10,724 people were evacuated before and during the hurricane to take refuge at special camps. Torrential rainfall was the immediate effect of Cesar, peaking at 10.7 inches (271 mm) at Bluefields, Nicaragua with many other locations reporting over 6 inches (150 mm). The intense precipitation led to widespread mudslides and overflown rivers across the mountainous country. The most affected region was Lake Managua where the water level was approaching dangerous levels. Extensive damage was seen to the rice, bean, corn, yucca, plantanoes, and coffee amounting to $25 million (1996 US dollars). All international flights in and out of Nicaragua were cancelled from the rains for 1 day. Despite its total damage toll of $39 million, only 9 people were killed in the country, possibly due to ample advanced warnings. Reconstruction cost is estimated at $5.1 million (1996 USD).excerpt from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Cesar%E2%80%93Douglas#Nicaragua
