'In the hands of God:' Central America bears brunt of powerful hurricane Iota

People rest in hammocks at a school being used as a shelter as Hurricane Iota approaches Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua November 16, 2020. REUTERS/Wilmer Lopez

PUERTO CABEZAS, Nicaragua (Reuters) - Hurricane Iota sent zinc roofing flying into the streets, toppled electricity poles and flayed palm trees as its core approached a remote Central American coast on Tuesday, the second giant storm to tear at the area this month.

Iota reached northeastern Nicaragua late on Monday with sustained winds of nearly 155 miles per hour (250 kmh). It is expected to weaken after moving westward into neighboring Honduras, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).