Highlights
DROUGHT: Prolonged drought in Central America places more than 2 million people at risk of food insecurity.
HEAVY RAINS: The rainy season killed one person in Honduras and has affected more than a hundred people in Guatemala.
VOLCANIC ERUPTION: The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is at moderate-high activity and an orange alert has been declared for areas near the volcano.
Drought
GUATEMALA
The Ministry of Food and Nutritional Security (SESAN for its acronym in Spanish) reports 268,000 families affected by the prolonged drought and at least 500,000 children under five at risk of malnutrition. Sixteen departments are in a state of public calamity and the government has appealed for international help to deal with the crisis caused by the loss of crops. Source: Prensa Libre.
HONDURAS
More than 120,000 families are affected by drought. The Permanent Commission of Contingencies (COPECO for its acronym in Spanish) and WFP are assisting over 39,000 people through the distribution of 367 MT of food. Source: COPECO and WFP.
EL SALVADOR
Around 96,000 families are affected by drought. Crop farmers estimate that at least US$100 million is needed to restore production and land affected by drought.
Source: La Prensa Grafica.
NICARAGUA
Nicaragua has not declared an alert for drought but has requested support from the World Food Programme to help distribute food to affected families. Source: Radio La Primerísima.
