British queen offers condolences to Eta storm victims

Queen Elizabeth II on Monday sent her condolences to people in Mexico and Central America affected by “the tragic loss of life and destruction” caused by the devastating storm Eta.

In a message to leaders in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua, the queen lamented the destruction caused by the storm.

“Prince Philip and I were deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life,'' caused by the storm, the queen's message said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured or lost their lives, and all those whose homes and livelihoods have been affected.”

Eta, which made landfall as a tropical storm in the Florida Keys late Sunday, initially hit Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane on Nov. 3 before wreaking havoc around Central America, where authorities are still surveying the damage after days of torrential rain. Official death tolls put the number of dead at least 68 people, but hundreds more are missing.