People in Honduras are not only facing the challenge of increasing coronavirus infections. In November, many areas of the country were destroyed by the tropical storms Eta and Iota. Continuous rain for many days brought mudslides and widespread flooding: houses, roads and bridges were destroyed by floodwaters, fields and crops were also entirely destroyed.
The El Paraíso region where Kolping Honduras has its national office is also severely affected. Kolping immediately responded to the emergency by renting boats to save people who had fled to the roofs of their flooded homes. Kolping members acted in solidarity by supplying the homeless with food, water and medication.
“This is really a dramatic situation in every respect. And even if Kolping farmers did not lose their harvests they do not know how the crops will be collected because the roads are destroyed. It will take years to reconstruct everything“ says Rufino Rodriguez, managing director of KOLPING Honduras.
The national office is coordinating various relief efforts in affected Kolping regions where it continues to rain and where rivers overflow their banks. KOLPING INTERNATIONAL granted 25,000 euros from its emergency relief fund.