José reports from the ground as Hurricane Iota makes landfall
Central America has been hit by two Category 4 hurricanes in less than two weeks: the first on November 3, when Hurricane Eta slammed into Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Thirteen days later, Hurricane Iota made landfall just 15 miles to the south. The similar paths increase the risk of flooding and landslides – hundreds of lives have already been lost and thousands of homes destroyed – and the full extent of the damage won’t become clear for days or weeks.
The WCK Relief Team is providing nourishing meals and other essentials to the hurting communities in Guatemala and Honduras, while also keeping a close eye on the neighboring areas–we are at the ready should our help be needed.
In Guatemala, just shy of a million people have been affected, and nearly 18,000 are in shelters. After Eta hit, our team set up in the eastern department of Izabal to assemble and distribute sandwiches as we assessed damage in surrounding areas. Now, our operation has expanded to work closely with local restaurants to cook hot meals for communities sheltering during Iota.
Before Hurricane Iota made landfall, communities were still dealing with catastrophic flooding from Eta—in Campur, Guatemala, entire buildings remain underwater. Using whatever means necessary, including trucks and boats, we brought freshly prepared sandwiches and face masks for families in need ahead of Iota.
On the way to deliver meals in Barrio Remolino, our team spoke with families cleaning up the damage, clearing mud from their homes. Here we met Daniela, pictured in her home with all the belongings she has left after the flooding receded. “Material things can be slowly bought again. But I’m grateful to God that I’m alive,” Daniela told our team.
East of Guatemala, in Honduras, WCK’s Relief Team quickly scaled to produce 10,000 meals each day, including both sandwiches and hot food. As many routes to people in need were flooded and inaccessible by car, we delivered sandwiches via helicopter to isolated communities. Our team also brought fresh meals to families at the Honduran Air Force Base in San Pedro Sula. The Air Force had evacuated these families to the base before they were able to safely reach shelters in the area.
Emily and her puppy Aisha were evacuated from Kele Kele to the Air Force Base in San Pedro Sula. Hurricane Eta flooded their home so they had to go into the mountains to be rescued. Emily told us she wants to be a pilot, so she liked the experience of being in a helicopter.
Alexander and his mother Daisy are from Veracruz. They didn’t want to leave their home because they’d never left Veracruz before, but Daisy’s mother—already safe in a shelter in San Pedro Sula—convinced her to do it for her children, especially with the looming threat of Hurricane Iota. Daisy, three of her kids, and grandchild were evacuated by helicopter, leaving only her 29-year-old son to stay behind and watch their home.
Juan Carlos is from Villa del Milagro, where Hurricane Eta flooded his house and destroyed his possessions. He considered going back to clean up earlier this week, but people staying at the Francisco Morazán School were advised to remain there until after Hurricane Iota passed.
As heavy rains from Hurricane Iota came down on Tuesday night, WCK teams continued making meal deliveries to families in need. Waking up today, the skies were clearer, so we will assess any new needs in the wake of Iota while ensuring that communities affected by Eta continue to receive nourishing meals.
The tandem hurricanes are affecting millions of people throughout the region, compounding health and safety issues that these communities have faced for years, even before the pandemic. Through our Resilience programs, we have worked to improve hygiene and sanitation for kitchen workers in Guatemala and Nicaragua – and will continue and expand our work as needed in order to start the healing process in the aftermath of the storms.
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