Approximately 1.5 million people affected
Heavy rains in Central America have destroyed houses, damaged infrastructure and devastated large swaths of farmland. Around 1.5 million people are affected, with El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras bearing the brunt of the disaster. 120 have died in rural areas and more than 100,000 people have sought temporary shelter. Those living in precarious conditions are the most affected; poorer people often making a living from subsistence agriculture and day work on farms. The rains have now receded and emergency teams are beginning the process of reaching those affected.
El Salvador has experienced the highest level of rain in 50 years. The government has declared a state of national emergency and requested international assistance. Floods have caused significant damage to roads, which hampers access to remote areas. Rural communities report the contamination of wells, a lack of potable water, with cities and towns facing a shortage. Crops such as beans and corn have been destroyed, leaving many people without a source of income and nutrition.
Of the more than half a million people affected in Guatemala 78,000 have lost their homes. In the south of the country, the soil is saturated with water, causing mudslides and rivers to overflow. As much as 80 percent of crops have been lost in some regions – and this may exacerbate the recent prices hikes of staple foods. The price of corn, for example, has increased by ten percent within the country and by 25 percent in some of the affected areas. Furthermore, wells have been damaged and some areas experience water shortages due to damaged pipes.
Working with the authorities and other agencies in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, CARE’s emergency teams have finished an initial assessment of damages and needs. People in the affected communities have found their houses damaged, their personal belongings and food stocks lost. Many water systems are not functioning. Agricultural production has been severely affected. The next six months will be a challenge, people are threatened not only by water borne diseases, but also with loss of income and food which could lead to widespread malnutrition.
CARE teams have identified the need to focus on immediate and medium term support to rural communities who have been affected, with water supply and sanitation, as well as with provision of food so affected people have enough to eat while re-establishing their farming work.
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