The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm was slowly churning westward off the Honduran coast and would bring "life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides" through the weekend.

The Honduran emergency management agency (COPECO) has put the departments of Islas de la Bahia, Atlantida, Colon and Gracias a Dios on red alert for 72 hours, urging evacuations from danger zones.

President Xiomara Castro said emergency services had been activated to deal with "damage already caused by the rains," warning that Sara's impacts "could become a catastrophic event."

"Citizens should pay attention to instructions and move to safe shelters, away from rivers," she said on X.

Alerts have also been issued in Panama and Costa Rica, which have both recorded several storm-related deaths in recent weeks.

Sara will slowly move near the northern coast of Honduras over the next couple of days and bring isolated areas up to 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain, the NHC said.

"This rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, especially along and near the Sierra La Esperanza," an advisory said.