rivers. The death toll rose by the hundreds every day; at one point, the official death toll was estimated as high as 10,000. There is still uncertainty in the total number of fatalities due to Fifi. In general, however, most estimates range from 8,000 to 10,000. Overall this ranked Fifi as the second-deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record at the time. It was eventually lowered to third after Hurricane Mitch in 1998 wrought similar destruction in the same region, leaving between 11,000 and 18,000 dead. Throughout the country, Fifi inflicted nearly $1.8 billion (1974 USD; $ USD) as part of what was, at the time, the worst natural disaster in Honduras' history. Due to the damage that Fifi caused, Fifi is the costliest Atlantic Hurricane to reach a maximum of Category 2. In certain coastal regions, only structures built on higher elevations were left standing. Many cities were more than 80% destroyed. Fifi demolished over 10,000 well-constructed homes throughout Honduras. An estimated 150,000 people were left homeless due to Fifi. However, the Honduran government estimated that between 350,000 and 500,000 were left homeless. The country's banana crop was completely destroyed by the hurricane; as a result, its economy was severely affected. Elsewhere in Central America Officials in Belize and Guatemala rushed to complete emergency precautions for the approaching hurricane. Much of Central America north of Nicaragua was impacted by the hurricane. Rainfall reaching affected areas as far north as Campeche, Mexico. At Chinandega, Nicaragua, rainfall from the storm amounted to over a four-day period. The heavy precipitation led to significant flooding across the country as dozens of rivers exceeded their banks; hundreds were left homeless. The communities of La Conquista, Dulce Nombre, San Gregorio and San Vicente were isolated by flood waters after roads leading to them were washed away. In Chiquito, Izapa and Tamarindo, more than ten homes were destroyed and 50 people left homeless due to the storm. After the Río Coco overflowed its banks in Jinotega, 120 homes were destroyed, leaving 113 families homeless. Numerous other communities sustained similar damage throughout the country, especially near the Honduras border. Hundreds of people in the town of Wiwili clung to treetops and roofs along the Coco River. Although the storm made landfall in Belize, the country suffered considerably less damage than in nearby Honduras. However, winds up to were recorded. The combination of winds and torrential rains damaged or destroyed