Tropical Storm Eta pushed into Honduras on Wednesday after leaving behind a trail of destruction in Nicaragua, where it made landfall the day before as a Category Four hurricane.

High winds herald the arrival of Hurrican Eta along Nicaragua's northern Caribbean coast
High winds herald the arrival of Hurrican Eta along Nicaragua's northern Caribbean coast AFP / Inti Ocon

At least four people -- two in Nicaragua and two in Honduras -- were killed as Eta dumped heavy rain that unleashed widespread flooding and landslides, officials said.

The US National Hurricane Center said Wednesday that Eta had weakened to a tropical depression, but continued to warn of "life-threatening flash flooding" over portions of Central America.

A man struggles to protect his house as Hurricane Eta bore down on Nicaragua's northern Caribbean coast
A man struggles to protect his house as Hurricane Eta bore down on Nicaragua's northern Caribbean coast AFP / Inti Ocon

Honduras' emergency response commission COPECO said 3,000 people had been evacuated from their homes in the path of the storm.

Landslides swept away roads and at least five bridges, and the highway linking the capital Tegucigalpa with second city San Pedro Sula was cut off by a mudslide, it said.

A man points to fallen trees as Hurricane Eta makes landfall in Bilwi, on Nicaragua's northeastern coast
A man points to fallen trees as Hurricane Eta makes landfall in Bilwi, on Nicaragua's northeastern coast AFP / INTI OCON

COPECO warned people living near river banks to evacuate.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez called for solidarity to overcome the challenges caused by the destruction.

Map showing the location and projected path of Hurricane Eta.
Map showing the location and projected path of Hurricane Eta. AFP / Gustavo IZUS

Authorities evacuated around 700 prisoners in the city of El Progreso, north of the capital, after the site was swamped by rain.

In neighboring La Lima, hundreds of families fled their homes and took refuge in makeshift plastic and sheet metal shelters erected along a highway median.

Heavy rain and high winds lash Nicaragua's northern coast as Hurricane Eta passes near Bilwi, damaging homes and businesses.
Heavy rain and high winds lash Nicaragua's northern coast as Hurricane Eta passes near Bilwi, damaging homes and businesses. AFPTV / Luis SEQUEIRA
Hurricane Eta made landfall in Bilwi, Nicaragua, as a powerful Category Four hurricane on November 3, 2020
Hurricane Eta made landfall in Bilwi, Nicaragua, as a powerful Category Four hurricane on November 3, 2020 AFP / INTI OCON

Eta slammed ashore at the northern Nicaraguan coastal town of Bilwi -- also known as Puerto Cabezas -- on Tuesday packing winds of 130 miles per hour (210 kilometers per hour) winds that knocked over walls, uprooted trees and tore roofs off dwellings.

It left impoverished indigenous communities along Nicaragua's northern coast underwater, and swept away several coastal villages.

"The information we have is that the community of Wawa no longer exists, the sea has completely entered the community," local emergency volunteer Kevin Gonzalez told AFP.

He said the hurricane also severely damaged the coastal communities of Karata and Haulover.

Bilwi, the biggest city on the northern coast, "has been badly affected, there are surrounding neighborhoods and bridges that are flooded, many houses are without roofs," said Gonzalez.

The hurricane is likely to have a devastating effect on the communities' main livelihoods of fishing and agriculture, said the World Food Programme (WFP), which has sent 80 tons of food aid to the region.

The storm is forecast to continue moving inland over central Honduras on Thursday.

As the surface layer of oceans warms due to climate change, hurricanes are becoming more powerful and carrying more water, posing an increasing threat to the world's coastal communities, scientists say.

Storm surges amplified by rising seas can be especially devastating.

Guatemala issued a flood warning in the regions bordering Honduras.

In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele said that more than 100,000 people from relief organizations, the police and army were ready to help during and after the storm.