Note: The last fact sheet was dated July 13, 2010.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
- Four named storms have made landfall in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to date during the 2010 hurricane season, which lasts from May to November. In recent months, rainfall accumulations significantly above average have exacerbated the effects of the storms in some areas, while also leading to floods and landslides in areas previously unaffected during the hurricane season.
- In early September, USAID/OFDA provided assistance to Guatemala in response to heavy rains that resulted in floods and landslides in areas already affected by Tropical Storm Agatha in late May; USAID/OFDA has also provided assistance to Brazil, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico during the 2010 Hurricane Season. However, despite significant rainfall in the region during August and September, national governments have primarily had the capacity to respond to humanitarian needs resulting from storms and floods.
- USAID/OFDA prioritizes hurricane preparedness and capacity building activities in the LAC region throughout the year to quickly respond to humanitarian needs during the hurricane season. USAID/OFDA has pre-positioned emergency relief commodities in the Bahamas, Belize, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, and St. Lucia, which can be supplemented with additional supplies from the USAID/OFDA warehouse in Miami, Florida. In addition, USAID/OFDA has agreements with air charter services for transportation of personnel and supplies, if needed. USAID/OFDA maintains country-based staff throughout the region to provide technical assistance to national governments and assess humanitarian impacts from recent storms and floods. The LAC Regional Office in San Jose, Costa Rica, is in close contact with mission disaster relief officers (MDROs) to identify potential requests for international assistance.
