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15-12-2020 | Latest News , Americas

Red Cross: Humanitarian response to hurricanes Eta and Iota one of the most challenging faced by Central America in decades

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Panama/Geneva, 14 December 2020 – One month after hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Central America and Colombia, affecting more than 7.5 million people, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that millions are still in need of immediate humanitarian support in what has become one of the most challenging disasters faced by the region in recent history.

The IFRC and National Red Cross Societies are currently addressing the most urgent needs of over 100,000 people through seven simultaneous humanitarian operations in Colombia, Belize, Costa Rica, Panamá, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras. The situation is especially severe in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, where more than 6 million people have been affected by heavy rains, floods, and landslides. In-depth damage and needs assessments are ongoing but results from all rapid assessments conducted so far paint a bleak humanitarian picture in both the short and medium term.

Felipe del Cid, Head of the IFRC’s Disaster Response Unit in the Americas, said: “Millions of people still need immediate humanitarian support: shelter, health care, psychosocial support, access to food, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. We are talking about a huge disaster, exacerbating an already ruinous combination of COVID-19, poverty and inequality in the region. These overlapping crises are making our operation one of the most complex we have ever mounted. The support of the international community is urgent to protect lives and livelihoods”.

On 8 November, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs to assist 75,000 of the worst affected people in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua for at least 18 months. Currently only 58% funded, the appeal focuses on rebuilding and repairing damaged shelters, improving access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, addressing health needs, including COVID-19 prevention measures, and providing psychosocial support. The operation will also seek to address the mid-term consequences, such as the hurricanes’ impact on livelihoods and displacement.

“Eta and Iota have wiped out livestock, destroyed tools, harvests and farming areas, and impacted popular tourist spots across a region that was already facing an economic crisis related to COVID-19 and where the incomes of thousands of families had already been severely depleted. People are at risk of resorting to coping strategies such as selling their animals and properties, eating less food, and abandoning their homes to look for new ways of generating income”, added del Cid.

History has shown that hurricanes can cause displacement influxes as the loss of housing and livelihoods fuel unemployment and lead to increased movement of people to urban centres. Eta and Iota also represent a challenge for returned populations. In Guatemala and Honduras, some of the areas hit hardest have also welcomed large groups of returned people whose journeys have not ended in the way they expected. Figures on unemployment, poverty, and vulnerability were already high due to COVID-19 and will very likely deteriorate due to Eta and Iota.

For more information or to arrange interviews please contact:

In Panama: Susana Arroyo Barrantes, susana.arroyo@ifrc.org , + 506 8416 1771

In Honduras: Johannes Chinchilla, rrcomms.honduras@ifrc.org , +504 99031797

In Geneva: Rebecca Cole, +41 79 245 56 80, rebecca.cole@ifrc.org 

About IFRC
IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world.
www.ifrc.org  - Facebook - Twitter - YouTube

 

 


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Shot list Hurricanes Eta and Iota IFRC BRoll (1)
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Preventing the spread of COVID-19 is at the centre of our response and is an enormous challenge of this emergency. A huge part of the immediate response efforts has been to keep communities, as well as Red Cross volunteers and staff, protected. We are implementing all necessary prevention measures and urgently providing people with clean water and hygiene kits to help facilitate and encourage prevention measures, such as hand washing. Credits EtaIota_Covid3: Panamanian Red Cross
Panamanian Red Cross will support 3,000 people in Chiriqui and Veraguas in the areas of health, water and sanitation, shelter, and protection, gender, and inclusion. Credits: Panamanian Red Cross
Within the IFRC Emergency Appeal and for at least 18 months, the Honduran Red Cross will assist a total of 50,000 people from the departments of Cortés, Colón, Santa Barbara, Atlantis, El Paraíso, Olancho, and Choluteca. The operation is focused on families who have seen their livelihoods directly affected by the emergency; indigenous communities; communities with high poverty rates; households with vulnerable people (under 5 years of age, seniors, people with disabilities, chronically ill, pregnant women); single-headed households; and, families who have not benefited from other institutions in similar actions. Credits: Canadian Red Cross
Preventing the spread of COVID-19 is at the centre of our response and is an enormous challenge of this emergency. A huge part of the immediate response efforts has been to keep communities, as well as Red Cross volunteers and staff, protected. We are implementing all necessary prevention measures and urgently providing people with clean water and hygiene kits to help facilitate and encourage prevention measures, such as hand washing. Credits: Johannes Chinchilla / IFRC
In Nicaragua, 3 million people have been exposed to the impact of Eta and Iota. More than 160,000 people were evacuated, and more than 660 families remain sheltered, especially along the northern coast: Waspam, Prinzapolka, and Bilwi. Iota claimed 6 lives and has left 47,000 families with no access to water. 5,800 houses have been destroyed and another 38,000 have suffered partial damage. According to the Nicaraguan government, the economic value of all damages is USD 742 million, 6% of Nicaragua’s GDP. Credits: Nicaraguan Red Cross
There is a contamination of drinking water sources, including wells, dams, catchment areas, and river system in the communities flooded. Some 5,000 artisanal wells in the Izabal area and southern Peten were contaminated by flooding and some 50 community water systems were heavily affected. Animal deaths, sediment left by the flood and other debris, and some areas still under water represent a high risk of outbreaks of skin diseases, diarrhea, respiratory complications and diseases such as such as dengue, zika and chikungunya. Credits: Guatemalan Red Cross
The Guatemalan Red Cross activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at headquarters as well as its 20 delegations in response to Eta and later for the monitoring and response of Iota. 300 volunteers, 15 ambulances, 7 boats, 2 trucks and a drone were deployed for the emergency response. Credits: Guatemalan Red Cross
Since the first moment, Nicaraguan Red Cross provided preparation and evacuation support, rescue services, support to sheltered people, prehospital care, dissemination of prevention measures, psychosocial support and assessment of damage and needs. Credits: Nicaraguan Red Cross
In Honduras, 4 million people have been directly affected by Eta and Iota. After the passage of the hurricanes, more than 95,000 people have been sheltered in 1,000 centres. Food security and access to health care, clean water, and sanitation, as well as hygiene measures are still an immediate need. The most affected areas are Cortés, Yoro, Atlántida, Santa Bárbara, Olancho, Copán, Choluteca, Comayagua, and Colón. The government has requested international aid. Credits: Honduran Red Cross
In Colombia, the Red Cross is providing emergency care in the areas of health; water, sanitation, and hygiene; livelihoods and basic needs; protection, gender, and inclusion (including restoring family links) to 12,000 people affected by Hurricane Iota in the departments of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina and Bolivar departments. Credits: Colombian Red Cross
In Honduras, 4 million people have been directly affected by Eta and Iota. After the passage of the hurricanes, more than 95,000 people have been sheltered in 1,000 centres. Food security and access to health care, clean water, and sanitation, as well as hygiene measures are still an immediate need. The most affected areas are Cortés, Yoro, Atlántida, Santa Bárbara, Olancho, Copán, Choluteca, Comayagua, and Colón. The government has requested international aid. Credits: Honduran Red Cross
Nicaraguan Red Cross is assessing the quality of water for human consumption and promoting access to safe water, especially for populations returning to their homes and those who have to remain in collective centers because their homes are damaged. This will prevent outbreaks and epidemics caused by post-flood conditions. Credits: Nicaraguan Red Cross
As of 21 November 2020, around 29,977 people received first aid and out-of-care medical attention in the context of the emergency, including 4,854 cases of water, air or land relief and rescue. In addition, the Honduran Red Cross is providing services including psychosocial support, restoring family links, delivery of hygiene and health care kits, WASH and provision of more than 4,000 food rations to families. Credits: Honduran Red Cross | Natalie Acosta
Costa Rica Red Cross will support 7500 people in Guanacaste and Puntarenas (Southern Pacific Region) in the areas of food security, water, sanitation and hygiene, and cash transfer to support reconstruction of damaged houses. Credits: Costa Rica Red Cross
An Emergency Clinic deployed by Canadian Red Cross was set up and will continue to operate under the command of the National Society supporting La Lima's network of health services. The Emergency Clinic is providing primary health care services for chronic, pregnant women, pharmacy, triage, emergency stabilization and referral of patients in the national health and psychosocial support system. Credits: Canadian Red CrossEtaIota
Damage to and interruptions in the water supply and sanitation system and the likely increase of favourable conditions for the proliferation of mosquitos and other vectors, in addition to the challenges posed to the epidemiological surveillance systems, raise serious concerns for outbreaks of waterborne and other water-related diseases, as well as vector borne diseases, like dengue or malaria. Credits: Guatemalan Red Cross
Guatemala Red Cross will support 10,000 people, especially in the most affected departments of Alta Verapaz and Izabal. According to national authorities, these two departments report the most severe damage to housing, the largest number of evacuees in official and non-official centres and reported the highest number of incidents related to Eta and Iota, such as floods and landslides. Credits: Guatemalan Red Cross
As of 21 November 2020, around 29,977 people received first aid and out-of-care medical attention in the context of the emergency, including 4,854 cases of water, air or land relief and rescue. In addition, the Honduran Red Cross is providing services including psychosocial support, restoring family links, delivery of hygiene and health care kits, WASH and provision of more than 4,000 food rations to families. Credits: Honduran Red Cross | Natalie Acosta
The situation in Guatemala remains critical. There are 2.4 million people affected of which 1.7 million need some form of humanitarian aid. Immediate priorities include access to clean water, sanitation, hygiene items, food security and nutrition, health, and shelter. The government has declared a state of emergency. Credits: Guatemalan Red Cross
Since the first moment, Nicaraguan Red Cross provided preparation and evacuation support, rescue services, support to sheltered people, prehospital care, dissemination of prevention measures, psychosocial support and assessment of damage and needs. Credits: Nicaraguan Red Cross
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