Caratasca Lagoon

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The Caratasca Lagoon (Spanish : Laguna de Caratasca) is a large lagoon in the department of Gracias a Dios in northeastern Honduras. Puerto Lempira, the capital of the department, lies on its shores.

The lagoon covers 1,110 km2 (430 sq mi) [1] and extends approximately 25 miles inland from the Caribbean Sea, and is fed by rivers including the Mocorón, Warunta, and Nakunta. [2] The largest island in the lagoon is Tansin. Its western shore is protected as part of a biological reserve. [3] [4]

The Caratasca Lagoon was the site of the landfall of Hurricane Mitch in 1998 which caused much ecological damage.

Coordinates: 15°23′0″N83°51′0″W / 15.38333°N 83.85000°W / 15.38333; -83.85000

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References

  1. Herdendorf, Charles E. (1982). "Large Lakes of the World". Journal of Great Lakes Research. 8 (3): 379–412. doi:10.1016/S0380-1330(82)71982-3.
  2. Humphrey, Chris. Honduras (2006) p.334 ( ISBN   978-1566918039)
  3. "Official Record for Laguna de Karatasca". Protected Planet. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  4. "Áreas Protegidas De Honduras" (PDF) (in Spanish). Centro de Documentación Turística de Honduras. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.