Late-season storm Otto strengthened into a hurricane Tuesday as civil defence officials reported three deaths in Panama amid heavy rain and Costa Rica ordered the evacuation of 4,000 people from its Caribbean coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Otto was likely to gain strength as it headed for an expected Thursday afternoon landfall around the Nicaragua-Costa Rica border. It could become the first hurricane to make landfall in Costa Rica since reliable record-keeping began in 1851. Police officers help people board boats to leave Barra de Colorado, Costa Rica as Hurricane Otto approaches. Otto was centred about 375 kilometre east of Limon, Costa Rica.

Source: CBC News November 23, 2016 00:25 UTC