After Honduras' president asked Guatemala for help rescuing residents, Guatemala's president said at least 50 people had been killed in landslides in his own country.

The long-term forecast called for Eta to spin back out into the Caribbean late Thursday and then reform as a tropical storm Friday.

The centre said Eta was likely to strengthen further and could reach Category 5 before running ashore by early Tuesday in Nicaragua, where it could bring rains measured in feet rather than inches.