Drought/Food Insecuirty
Drought / Food Insecurity As of March 2016, 2.5 million people are food insecure in Central America (1.15 million in IPC Phase 3). Availability/access to staple foods and opportunities to generate income are very limited.
Due to a succession of damages caused by rainfall deficit and coffee rust, southwestern Honduras, eastern and western El Salvador, as well as in the North Pacific and northcentral regions in Nicaragua will continue to be in Crisis (Phase 3, IPC) from June to October. The poorest households in Guatemala will continue staying in Crisis (Phase 3, IPC) until September/October.
Pervasive Violence
Presence of non-political armed groups in the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA) has amplified the level of violence, reducing access to basic services. A combined 714 000 people are forcibly displaced in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, the three most violent countries in the region, due to organized crime and gang violence, and some 106 000 are refugees (UNHCR). The number of violent deaths in the NTCA remain high. In 2015, close to 18 000 people were killed and the first half of 2016 confirms this trend.
Hurricane Earl
On 4 August Earl, category 1 hurricane, caused structural damage, inland and coastal flooding in the central and northern cities of Belize. The hurricane then ripped through northern Guatemala and southeastern Mexico on 5 August weakening into a Tropical Storm. As of 9 August, Earl caused a total of 46 deaths, 5 000 houses damaged and 13 000 people affected. Most damage occurred in Belize. In response to Earl damages, ECHO provided 50 000 EUR through the IFRC´s DREF.
