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- Hurricane “Iota” made landfall in northern Nicaragua overnight.
- The US Hurricane Center reports that it has only weakened very slightly and remains a second-highest level cyclone., Link opens in a new window.
- Some people in structurally weak areas are affected who have not yet recovered from the effects of the last hurricane.
With winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, “Iota” in Central America meets countries where a strong cyclone had left death and devastation two weeks ago. Besides Nicaragua, these are Guatemala and Honduras. More than 200 people died there as a result of “Eta.” More than a million people still suffer the consequences.
Some still miss their loved ones. “In San Pedro Sula, the towns and neighborhoods are still under water,” explains Sandra Weiss, a journalist in Mexico. San Pedro Sula is an industrial region in Honduras and, unlike other areas, it is structurally stronger.
The airport had to be closed temporarily so that aid deliveries could not arrive. Almost a fifth of the Honduran population depends on food aid. But Nicaragua and Guatemala also urgently need humanitarian aid.
Aggravation due to crown crisis
The population of the three countries was in a critical position due to the corona pandemic even before the hurricanes. Malnutrition and malnutrition have spread in recent months. “This has increased now because many people have lost their crops due to the storm,” says Weiss.
Another problem is the enormous population growth in Central America, which means that demographic pressure is enormous and states cannot keep up with infrastructure, for example with social housing.
“The poor just settle somewhere where they can find a place.” This means that they live in poorly developed areas, that they are in risk areas and that they can easily flood.
“The problem with this is that the State does not intervene to regulate the situation, but allows such wild settlements,” criticizes the journalist. Governments had promised emergency aid. “But experience shows that relatively little reaches people. If they are lucky, there will be enough for tents or food packages. “
Corruption is omnipresent
Corruption is another problem. “Much of the aid money that the state has in its hands just disappears along the way and doesn’t really reach those who need it.” The journalist does not expect protests.
“On the one hand, people who have lost everything have other concerns,” he says. On the other hand, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras are governed in a very authoritarian way. “Any protest would be nipped in the bud.”
The already high pressure to emigrate from these countries due to economic hardship and violence could increase after the devastating hurricanes. Many non-governmental organizations warn against this. The UN also observes this with concern.
“Many assume that we will see an increase in migration caravans again in the coming months, as has happened in recent years,” says Weiss. These have been stopped by the United States government under Donald Trump. It remains to be seen how Democrat Joe Biden will address this immigration issue.