ENVIRONMENT-CENTRAL AMERICA: Rains Worsen Hurricane Damage

By Thelma Mejía Reprint | | Print |

Thelma Mejía

TEGUCIGALPA, Oct 5 1999 (IPS) - Three weeks of heavy rains have Central America on edge, as floods in areas devasted 11 months ago by Hurricane Mitch have revealed weaknesses in the region’s reconstruction.

The latest reports indicate that, in Guatemala alone, floods have left 16 people dead, 11,000 homeless, and losses in infrastructure, production and housing estimated at several million dollars.

In Nicaragua, authorities report 12 people dead, 4,000 homeless and several Caribbean communities cut off from all communication. El Salvador’s totals include nine deaths, 7,000 evacuees and costly damage to the nation’s farming sector.

Honduras reports 20 people dead, six disappeared and more than 12,000 people evacuated or homeless, according to the country’s Permanent Commission on Emergencies (Copeco).

These Central American nations were Hurricane Mitch’s primary victims late last year. But this year Costa Rica is included in the devastation. Six people have died in San Jose as a result of the heavy rains and 6,000 have been evacuated to temporary shelters. The entire isthmus, according to meteorologists, is in a state of “permanent alert.”

Hurricane Mitch had revealed the region’s environmental vulnerability and the population’s lack of preparation and experience in disaster prevention.

Mayra Falck, an environmental expert, said nature seems to “be infuriated with this region because we have not taken care of our tropical areas, we are carried away with deforestation and now suffer the consequences of forest devastation.”

“We are a region rich in bio-diversity and have much to offer, but nature is telling us that we must be more careful and make the environment into more than a separate plan on the government agenda – we must make it a priority of national policy and of the region in general,” Falck stated.

Central Americans have spent the last 20 days frightened by floods and the weather forecasts that “say rains will be intense this month, and predict the formation of four hurricanes in the Pacific, which keeps us in a permanent state of alert,” she added.

In the case of Honduras, the heavy rains prompted the Carlos Flores government to declare a state of “maximum alert.” The storms first hit the northern coast, then spread to the east, central and southern regions of the country.

“Once again we are living through times of anxiety, but we will not give in. I am approving a fund of eight million dollars for (emergency) aid for the homeless and businesses in Tegucigalpa, one of the areas most affected,” said Flores.

The president, together with Copeco members, is using radio broadcasts in an attempt to encourage the affected population. Hondurans are distressed at having to once again leave their homes because poorly constructed flood containment structures have given way.

In contrast with the hurricane destruction last year, the Honduran president is now visiting the devastated areas.

In his visits to the devastated areas, Flores has avoided responding to people’s questions about the poor construction of bridges and roads, and about possible solutions to the destruction of farmland.

Flores visited the southern region last Thursday where Choluteca, the fourth largest city in Honduras, was cut off from all communication when a temporary bridge collapsed.

The president was surrounded by retailers, journalists and residents who rebuked him for the delays in reconstruction assistance. Flores responded that he was there to witness the damage and that he would not answer questions that were “out of order.”

So far, Honduras has lost 2,000 hectares of cultivated land, including coffee, bananas and grains, as well as livestock damage.

Tegucigalpa is the most ecologically fragile area in Honduras. Two hours of heavy rains are enough to overflow the sewers, flood the city, and provoke mudslides in hillside slums.

The national and city governments signed a co-operation agreement Monday to attend to the 300,000 capital city residents that live in high risk areas.

Last year’s Hurricane Mitch left three million people homeless, 10,000 dead, 11,000 disappeared and economic losses of an estimated six billion dollars for the entire region.