Written by Debbie Michaud and photos from CARE Honduras
In the short span of two weeks, Central America has been battered by two category 4 hurricanes: Hurricane Eta made landfall Nov. 3 and Iota in the early hours of Nov. 17. Both storms brought extreme winds and heavy rains that have destroyed roads, homes and entire villages in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Over 3 million people have been affected by Eta. Iota is the 13th Hurricane of the season, a record number.
“For Honduras to receive Hurricane Iota less than 15 days after Eta´s arrival in the country is a human tragedy as 74 people have died, thousands have lost their homes and livelihoods and the impact on national infrastructure is not yet calculated,” says Maite Matheu, CARE Honduras Country Director.
CARE Honduras is currently working with key humanitarian partners to respond to Hurricane Eta and has supplied 10,000 hot meals a day in shelters; provided cash transfers to families to cover basic needs; and equipped and assisted the setup of safe spaces for women and girls.
Hurricane Eta hit Honduras Nov. 3, ripping apart roads and bridges and causing massive landslides and major flooding before moving across Central America and the Caribbean. More than 3 million people in the region have been impacted, with Honduras experiencing the most severe impacts.
CARE staff assembles to assess Eta’s damage in El Calan, Villanueva, Cortes, in the country’s northern region.
People impacted by Eta gather at a CARE-supported shelter for food, essential items like blankets, tarps and kitchen kits, water and sanitation support, and more.
Part of CARE’s response includes establishing protection services for vulnerable groups such as women and girls, who now find themselves in cramped communal shelters.
CARE is working with partners, including Cargill and World Central Kitchen, to provide more than 10,000 meals a day in affected areas.