Nicaragua says it has withdrawn from the Organization of American States (OAS), closing the offices of the bloc in the capital city of Managua, despite the regional bloc saying the move was not allowed for another year.

Preliminary results announced by the country’s Supreme Electoral Council on Monday showed Ortega's Sandinista alliance winning about 76% of votes with almost all the ballots counted.

Although Daniel Ortega stopped short of naming the foreign backers of his political opponents, the target of his tirade was the US administration, which is accused of interference in the Nicaraguan election.

Nicaragua says the recently detained opposition figures are "usurpers" funded by the United States to overthrow President Daniel Ortega.

Hurricane Eta tears through Central America, leaving death and destruction in its wake since it first rocked Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane.