Overflowing rivers in Honduras cut off thousands

TEGUCIGALPA, Mar 7 (Reuters) Overflowing rivers in Honduras caused by intense rain isolated more than 20,000 people and forced the evacuation of thousands more, a senior rescue worker said.

Flooding from the violent weather damaged homes and blocked roads on Honduras' Atlantic coast, Jose Ramon Salinas, head of the country's rescue commission, told Reuters yesterday.

''A lot of areas are totally cut off. We don't exactly know the magnitude of the damage,'' he said.

The precipitation, which so far has damaged 12 sections of highway and four bridges, was expected to continue until tomorrow.

Reuters SY DB0952