Geneva, 21 November 2005 - Honduras,
still in the recovery process after hurricanes Stan, Katrina, Wilma and
Beta over the past two months, has now been hit by Tropical Storm Gamma.
Since 18 November Gamma has been lashing the Honduran coast with torrential
rains that have resulted in such destruction that the government has declared
a national emergency.
The rainfalls have affected mainly the
departments of Gracias a Diós, Colón, Atlántida, Islas de la Bahía, Yoro
and Cortés. According to the official information given by the Permanent
Contingency Commission (COPECO), the death toll has reached 9 with 4 injured
and 15 missing. It is estimated that 15,658 people have been affected and
of those 8,887 are in shelters. The departments of Yoro and Atlántida are
isolated due to the destruction of the Guaymon Bridge which is the main
means of access to the area. This will have a serious impact on the transportation
of humanitarian aid. More rain is expected for the next 24 hours.
ACT members in Honduras: Christian Aid (CA), Christian Commission for Development (CCD), DanChurchAid (DCA), HEKS and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) report that COPECO, in co-ordination with other national and local organisations, has been responding to the situation, providing basic assistance to the people in the shelters and clearing the roads.
ACT members in Honduras report that their partners working in the area: the Mennonite Social Action Commission (CASM), Honduras Episcopal Church, The Association of Non Governmental Organization of Honduras (ASONOG) and the Christian Integral Development Organization (OCDIH) have been responding to the emergency with their own resources helping with the evacuation and providing food and water to the affected population. The most immediate needs are food, drinking water, blankets, personal hygiene items and kitchen utensils.
ACT partners in the area were in the process of finalising a proposal to respond to damages caused by Hurricane Beta, but are now carrying out further assessments to include damage by Gamma. An appeal might be forthcoming.
Thank you for your attention.
For further information please contact:
ACT Interim Director, Jenny Borden (phone +41 22 791 6033 or mobile phone + 41 79 203 6055) or
ACT Program Officer, Elsa Moreno, (phone +41 22 791 6420 or mobile phone +41 79 608 8133)
ACT Web Site address: http://www.act-intl.org