A powerful Hurricane Eta lashed the north coast of Nicaragua on Tuesday with heavy rain and winds of more than 130 miles per hour that ripped up trees and roofs, authorities said.

"It was a category 4 impact" on the Saffir-Simpson scale that ranges from one to five, said Marcio Baca, director of meteorology at the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies.

Category 4 hurricanes reach between 130 and 156 mph (209-251 kph) and can cause "catastrophic damage," according to the US National Hurricane Center.