MANAGUA, May 29 (Reuters) - Tropical storm Alma, the first of the season in the Americas, formed off Nicaragua on Thursday and was seen dumping torrential rain across Central America, possibly producing dangerous flash floods and mudslides.

With maximum sustained winds of 45 mph (75 kph) and higher gusts, the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said Alma would touch land over Nicaragua later on Thursday and skirt the coasts of Honduras and El Salvador afterward.

There are no oil platforms or other major energy interests in the region where Alma is expected.

Alma was about 55 miles (85 km) southwest of Nicaragua's capital Managua and moving due north at near 6 mph (9 kph), the center said, with up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain expected once it makes landfall.

"Isolated maximum storm total amounts of rain of 20 inches (51 cm) are possible in areas of high terrain. These rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides," the center said in a statement. (Reporting by Ivan Castro and Chris Aspin in Mexico City, Editing by Sandra Maler)

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