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Hurricane Otto - Nov 2016

Disaster description

As of 24 November, Otto was a category 2 hurricane.

The authorities in Costa Rica declared a state of emergency on 23 November. A red alert was in effect for several cantones in the Atlantic coast and northern regions and a yellow alert for the rest of the country. The President announced mandatory evacuations. Heavy rains associated with the hurricane affected 214 communities, with 21 communities cut-off; 18 shelters were operational and hosting 1,335 people. Some 4,000 were evacuated and 1,183 houses were damaged as well as roads, bridges and public and private infrastructure. (OCHA, 24 Nov 2016)
On 29 November, a red alert was issued for the cantons of Upala, Bagaces, Golfito and Corredores - the most affected by the hurricane and it was estimated that 10,000 people were need of humanitarian assistance. (PAHO, 26 Nov 2017)
Due to weather improvement and quick progress of relief distribution, the authorities suspended all alerts in the country on 2 December. There are still 15 shelters open for 854 people. (Gov't of Costa Rica, 2 Dec 2016)
On 6 December, the Government of Costa Rica called for an easier access to relevant assessed information as to consolidate the General Emergency Plan for reconstruction. (Gov't of Costa Rica, 6 Dec 2016)
In December, the Costa Rica Red Cross requested resources from IFRC Emergency Fund (DREF) to address the most urgent needs of affected communities. The $335,000 approved DREF focuses on meeting water, sanitation and hygiene promotion needs, livelihoods, nutrition and food security and will also have actions to support the repair of houses damaged by the hurricane. (IFRC, 17 Jan 2017)
As of 4 January, the Government of Costa Rica had allocated US$5.41 million to recovery and relief distribution activities. (Gov't of Costa Rica, 4 Jan 2017)

In Panama, some 2,431 people were affected over a 7-day period. The livestock and agriculture sector is the most affected. Authorities are carrying out a damage assessment to create a recovery plan for the sector. (OCHA, 29 Nov 2016). On 22 November 2016, Panama’s president placed the country under alert in order to ready all of its national response organizations for the emergency, and schools were closed by presidential decree throughout Panama on Wednesday, 23 November 2016; however, they reopened the following day, with the exception of some schools in the provinces of Colon and Bocas del Toro that were damaged by the hurricane. The IFRC is assisting 650 families (3,250 people) with a DREF operation. (IFRC, 5 Dec 2016)

In Honduras a yellow alert is in effect for the departments of Colón, Atlántida, Islas de la Bahía, Cortés and a green alert for the departments of Gracias a Dios, Islas de la Bahía and Yoro. (PAHO, 26 Nov 2017)

In Nicaragua as of 29 November 2016 several municipalities are affected in the departments and regions of Caribe Sur, Río San Juan, Rivas and Zelaya Central. Some 11,678 people sought refuge in 152 temporary emergency shelters, which were set-up in 73 communities in the impacted areas. (OCHA, 29 Nov 2016)

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