Hurricane Julia causes deadly flooding and landslides in South and Central America
Reaching the southern Caribbean as a tropical storm, Julia is only the second storm to have ever hit so far over South America—extreme rain resulted in massive landslides in the Venezuelan city of Las Tejerías, killing at least 40 people. Trees and debris from surrounding mountains washed away homes as the sudden landslide left residents with little time to react.
As the storm approached Central America, it intensified into a Category 1 hurricane just as it made landfall in Nicaragua. Though it quickly lost strength, the storm dumped a large amount of rain over parts of the region that were already struggling with a wetter-than-usual rainy season. The rain caused widespread flooding in Guatemala, particularly affecting communities in Alta Verapaz and Izabal that were among the hardest hit by hurricanes Eta and Iota in 2020.
Working alongside restaurant partners in Venezuela and Guatemala, WCK delivered more than 39,000 nourishing meals.
Nourishing Meals Served
Recipient Locations
Across Two Countries
Chefs For Venezuela
Before becoming a Category 1 hurricane, Julia hit Venezuela with heavy rains, causing landslides that washed away homes and killed over 40 people in Las Tejerías. WCK’s #ChefsForVenezuela reached the town the day after the storm and delivered more than 37,000 meals to impacted families. WCK’s same #ChefsForVenezuela team provided meals to migrants and refugees fleeing instability and supported nutrition security in Venezuela’s capital from 2019 to 2022.
Chefs For Guatemala
WCK’s response in Guatemala reached the hardest-hit communities, including Panzós where hundreds of people live in extreme poverty. Families in the area live near a lake and river which caused widespread flooding. The damage in this region was compounded by the fact that infrastructure has not fully recovered since the damage caused by Hurricanes Eta and Iota.
The Power Of Community
In Las Tejerías, our team met Gregory who lives in Caracas where he is completing his studies. As soon as he heard of the landslides, Gregory rushed to his hometown to check on his family. After making the 40-mile journey he learned that several friends had been swept away by the rushing water and that his family’s and his neighbor’s homes had suffered damage. Seeing the need, Gregory stayed in Las Tejerías to help the WCK team deliver meals.
