Hurricane Beta hits the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua on Sunday, with sustained winds of up to 110 miles per hour. Liane Hansen spoke with reporter Lorenda Riddekopp, who was in the country's capital Managua.
LIANE HANSEN, host: Hurricane Beta, the 23rd named storm of the season, hit the Caribbean      coast of Nicaragua this morning as a Category 2 hurricane with sustained      winds of about 110 miles per hour.  It has since weakened and become a      Category 1 storm.  Reporter Lorenda Reddekopp is on the line from      Managua.</s>LIANE HANSEN, host: Lorenda, what have you been hearing about this hurricane and the effects      it's having?</s>Ms. LORENDA REDDEKOPP (Reporter): Well, the communities right nearby      where the storm hit which is basically central Nicaragua right on the      coast there about in the middle, they're out of communication right now,      but there were government officials who did manage to speak with people      from there very early in the morning and they said that the communities      there are flooded, there are houses that are completely destroyed and the      figure that the journalists were given is that there are 13,000 people      who are considered at risk.</s>LIANE HANSEN, host: Now is this a sparse population or is it a heavily populated      area?</s>Ms. LORENDA REDDEKOPP (Reporter): I would say it's sparse.  There are communities around      there that may have up to 2,000 people or 3,000 people, but it's not      large cities by any means and it's also difficult to get to the area.      There aren't highways to get there.  You have to get there by boat.  I      understand there may be some kind of dirt road to get there as well.  And      from the nearest city where they're talking about sending aid, I'm told      that it's around five hours by boat.</s>LIANE HANSEN, host: Reporter Lorenda Reddekopp in Managua, Nicaragua.  Lorenda,      thanks a lot.</s>Ms. LORENDA REDDEKOPP (Reporter): Thank you.