The
lives of thousands of people in southern and western Honduras
have been disrupted by heavy rains falling since 20 October.
Already, the Goascorán river in Valle, on the border
with El Salvador, has overflowed. Some 1,200 people have been
affected in Valle and another 1,500 in Ocatepeque. Crops and
water supply systems in both areas have been destroyed.
“Red Cross relief teams are supporting more than 300 families,”
says Antonia García, president of the Nacaome branch
of the Honduras Red Cross. “Some people, particularly
children, already have acute respiratory illnesses.”
The relief teams are working with the local authorities and
the fire brigade to evacuate families living in high risk areas
to emergency shelters such as schools and community centres.
“From what I have seen, the main problem could be the
contamination of water as some latrines have been flooded,”
says Nery Alessi Ortiz Montalvan, a member of the Honduras Red
Cross national relief intervention team.
Relief volunteers working with Swiss Red Cross delegate, Claudio
Stauffer, are therefore delivering trucks with potable water
to the Nacaome branch.
The communities most affected by the swelling of the Goascorán
river are La Laguna, El Cubulero, Sonora, Playa Grande, Playitas,
El Conchal, El Capulin, Calicanto, Valle Nuevo, La Ceiba, San
Jeronimo, Valle de Jesus, Muruguaca y Guatales.
Honduras has been vulnerable to this type of natural emergency
since October 1998, when Hurricane Mitch wreaked havoc across
Central America.
Mitch caused widespread destruction in El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras and Nicaragua, triggering one of the largest and most
complex relief operations ever faced by the Red Cross.
The current heavy rains in the region have also caused landslides
and floods in southern Guatemala. Guatemalan Red Cross search
and rescue relief teams have worked with the local authorities
to evacuate affected people.
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“Red
Cross relief teams are supporting more than 300 families,”
says Antonia García, president of the Nacaome branch
of the Honduras Red Cross. “Some people, particularly
children, already have acute respiratory illnesses.”
The relief teams are working with the local authorities
and the fire brigade. (p14852)
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The
lives of thousands of people in southern and western Honduras
have been disrupted by heavy rains falling since 20 October.
(p14854)
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Already,
the Goascorán river in Valle, on the border with
El Salvador, has overflowed. Some 1,200 people have been
affected in Valle and another 1,500 in Ocatepeque. Crops
and water supply systems in both areas have been destroyed.
(p14855)
|
|
News
