Nate Kills 22 in Central America but Spares the Yucatan

Hurricane Nate spared the Yucatan Peninsula Friday before it began to set its sights on the U.S. Gulf Coast, but other countries didn't fare as well.

At least 22 people were killed Thursday after the storm moved over Central America with clusters of heavy rain and gusty winds.

In Nicaragua, at least 15 were killed, including two women and a man working with the Health Ministry to provide aid. They were swept away by a flooded canal in Juigalpa, vice president and spokeswoman Rosario Murillo told the Associated Press.

The nation had already been dealing with two weeks of persistent rainfall before the storm, which left rivers at high levels and the soil saturated, the AP also said.

(MORE: Get the Latest Forecast for Nate | Gulf Coast Prepares)

Costa Rican authorities said Thursday that there have been seven deaths in the country and 15 are missing.

"The flash flood came in seconds and took everything with it," Andres Leon, a teacher at Colegio Tecnico Profesional in Parrita, Costa Rica, told Buzzfeed News.

In Costa Rica, at least 5,000 people fled to emergency shelters, according to the AP. All public schools and offices will remain closed Friday, the Costa Rica Star reported.