More than three million people in Honduras have been affected by the passage of two hurricanes, Iota and Eta, causing the destruction of thousands of homes and major floods, which have made it difficult to travel and access drinking water.
Iota is the strongest hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic season, and has increased the vulnerability of the affected countries, which were already struggling to cope with the damage caused by the first hurricane. Persistent rain in areas affected by Eta has caused additional floods and landslides, increasing the number of people in need of assistance.
While harvests have already been affected, putting people at risk of food insecurity, these countries are also having to deal with the COVID-19 epidemic, and, in Honduras, a climate of insecurity caused by gang violence.
HI will dispatch an emergency team to Honduras within the next few days.
"We are going to assess the situation and determine what we can do to help," says Fanny Mraz, HI's Director of Emergency Operations. “Many families have lost their homes and sometimes their livelihoods and need urgent support".
Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world. Out of a population of 9 million, almost 20% of people live in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 a day (€1.66). In the region, HI implements programmes in Latin America, including in Colombia and Peru, and the Caribbean.
