Hurricane Iota is rapidly gaining strength and was today upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane — the first of the season — as it barrels toward Honduras and Nicaragua. The storm is expected to reach Honduras this evening, bringing with it heavy rains, flooding and landslides. Honduras and other countries in the region are still dealing with the devastating aftermath of Eta, which hit the area barely two weeks ago. In Honduras alone, 69 communities are still cut off and 100,000 have been left stranded due to damaged roads, bridges and communications networks.
CARE is already responding to Eta’s impacts and is watching Iota closely in coordination with local partners throughout the country where Iota is expected to impact.