Tegucigalpa, Honduras - Flooding from heavy rains killed at least three people and four others were reported missing as civil defence officials issued a red alert along the Ulua River basin stretching across northern Honduras.

Two people died in flooding of the Guayape River in the eastern department of Olancho, and one victim was reported in the capital, Tegucigalpa, after a collapsed wall buried a house.

Two people were reported missing in Olancho and two others in the southern department of Choluteca bordering Nicaragua.

Flooding also hit southern Nicaragua, where one person was killed, authorities there said.

The rains caused landslides in the region and sent water flooding into thousands of homes.

Apart from the Ulua basin, Honduran civil defence authorities also issued high-alert warnings for the departments of Copan, Santa Barbara and Yora plus yellow alerts for six other provinces. (dpa)