Some 800,000 Latin American and Caribbean people affected by hurricanes receive food aid from the UN

After the devastating passage of hurricanes Fiona, Ian and Julia, which caused torrential rains, floods and landslides, the World Food Program It continues to provide emergency food aid to 800,000 affected people in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as logistical and technical support to governments.

The regional director of the Program in Latin America and the Caribbean, Lola Castro, praised the joint preparation work with governments and civil society.

“We have prepared not only for the disruptions, but we have also worked with governments to analyze the populations that were in the risk areas, to know if they were affected and how many people would be involved. This involves a large number of preventive actions and early warning analysis on the ground”.

Beyond the immediate response, the Program continues to strengthen the resilience of communities by helping them adapt to climate change. During the first semester, the Program assisted more than 630,000 people restoring land and forests, creating more climate-resilient activities, and generating income and access to climate change insurance.

Some 10.6 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean are currently facing a situation of food insecurity, compared to 8.7 million in January. The Program plans to help nine million people this year and urgently needs $366 million to cover its operating costs over the next six months.

aid sharing

Here are some of the key figures from the UN humanitarian response:

Hurricane Fiona

• In the Dominican Republic, 5,800 people received food aid
• Before the hurricane, cash transfers were disbursed to 2,250 people, based on weather forecasts
• WFP donated 75 metric tons of fortified nutritious foods for 17,500 people
• Satellite equipment and service telephone lines were delivered to the government’s emergency operations center

Hurricane Ian

• In Cuba, distribution of food rations for 500,000 people, with rice, beans and oil for two months
• In Honduras, WFP distributed 8,000 food packages, enough to sustain 40,000 people for a month

Hurricane Julia

• In the Colombian department of La Guajira, the Program helped 35,000 people with lots of food, hygiene, shelter, and water to cover their basic needs. An additional 12,000 people will receive food, cash and vouchers. In addition, WFP provided logistical support to the government to distribute 117 metric tons of food.
• In El Salvador, the Program assisted 4,700 people in more than 50 shelters throughout the country. In addition, 7,200 people will receive cash for three months, allowing them to buy food close to home.
• In Nicaragua, the delivery of food began about 24 hours after the passage of the hurricane. A total of 27,500 people, mainly female heads of household, received food packages. Logistical and operational support was also provided
• In Guatemala, 83,000 people from Alta Verapaz, Huehuetenango, Izabal and Quiché received food or cash

Floods in Venezuela

• In the first emergency response since the opening of the country office in Venezuela in 2021, WFP supported 20,000 people with food for three months in La Guaira, one of the areas most affected by landslides and floods, Mérida, Táchira, Trujillo and Zulia. WFP also donated four mobile storage units.