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WFP & CARIBBEAN REGION

COVID-19 Logistics Situation Update #10

23 September 2020 Date 07 July 2020

Month YYYY

1. Highlights

Constraints Hurricane Season (Source: National Hurricane Center) Atlantic:

• Hurricane Sally (CAT 2): Sally made landfall at Mobile, Alabama on 16 September early morning as a category 2 hurricane. As a slow-moving storm, Sally brought life-threatening storm surge and flash flooding to Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Hundreds of people were rescued from flooding areas and more than half million population were left without electricity. Sally weakened to a tropical depression on 16 September. • Major Hurricane Teddy (CAT 4): Teddy is expected to transition to a powerful post-tropical cyclone as it moves near or over portions of Atlantic on 22 September through 24 September where direct impacts from wind, rain and storm surge are expected. Very large swells produced by Teddy are expected to affect portions of , the Leeward Islands, the Greater , , the east coast of the , and the Atlantic Canada during the next few days. These swells are expected to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. • Tropical Storm Vicky: Last advisory on Vicky was issued on 17 September. The remnant low should remain on a west south-westward heading while it is steered by the low-level north-easterly trade wind flow over 18-19 September. • Tropical Storm Beta: Beta weakened to a tropical depression on 22 September. Significant flash and urban flooding are occurring and will continue to occur for coast of Texas today. The slow motion of Beta will continue to produce a long duration rainfall event from the middle Texas coast to southern Louisiana. Periods of rainfall will spread east into Lower Mississippi Valley and portions of the Southeast United States. • Tropical Disturbance 1 (, Bahamas): Showers and thunderstorms extending from the southeastern Bahamas westward through Cuba and into the southeastern Gulf of are associated with a cold front. This system is forecast to move little for the next day or so, then move back northward on Thursday through Saturday. While development of this system over the

| 1 WFP LAC COVID-19 Logistics Situation Update #10

23 September 2020 southeastern Gulf of Mexico late this week is very unlikely, locally heavy rainfall is possible over portions of Cuba through Wednesday and over the Florida Keys and south Florida on Thursday and Friday.

Eastern Pacific

• Tropical Storm Lowell: Lowell is not posing any threat to land and it is moving west north-westwards with 24 km/h ground speed and current maximum sustained windspeed is 93 km/h.

Earthquakes

• : A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded at Chinandega on 16 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued. • Mexico: A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded at Villa Comaltitlán on 16 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued. • Chile: A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded at Coquimbo on 16 September and followingly a magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded at Ollague on 19 September. No damage or injuries were reported, and no tsunami warnings was issued for neither earthquakes.

Other Natural Events

• Wildfires in Brazil: Wildfires in Brazilian Amazon and Pantanal are continuing and a total of 25,000 square kilometers have been burned so far. State of Mato Grosso Do Sul has declared a state of emergency because the forest fires have reached at least 79 municipalities in the state. • Volcanic Eruption in : Volcán Sangay at southeast of erupted on 21 September. As a result of ash cloud from the eruption, Guayaquil International Airport had to be closed for a duration of 7 hours. In total, 6 municipalities were affected from the falling ash. • and road blockage in Mexico: Because of the heavy rains, a landslide occurred on Coscomatepec – Totutla Highway (Federal 125) on 18 September. Road is totally blocked, and substantial disruption is being reported.

Air

• Countries that have either extended current restrictions or postponed the re- opening of their airports for commercial passenger flights are as follows: o 18-21-23-26 September: Suriname (closed), Argentina (closed), (restricted), (restricted) o 1 October: Cuba (restricted), Trinidad & Tobago (closed), (closed), Bolivia (closed) o 6 October: Uruguay (restricted) o 12-14-18 October: Venezuela (closed), (closed), Nicaragua (restricted) o 30 November: (restricted)

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o 12 December: Chile (Restricted)

Sea

• Panama: Railway connection in between Panama City and Colon is still not operational since a vessel transiting crushed to a railway bridge in Gamboa on 23 June. At the time, uthorities a informed that railway would be operational within 2 weeks, yet it is almost 3 months and there is no clarity on when the bridge would be operational again. This is affecting transhipment volumes from Panamanian ports in a negative manner.

Services

• As per 17th September, the WFP Common Covid-19 Logistics Services delivered close to 8,000 cbm critical response items to the LAC region. If UNHRD regular services and bilateral service provision is added to this, 9,863 cbm in total has been dispatched. • Cargo continue to be dispatched both directly to destination countries from the WFP hub in China and ex UNHRD Panama mainly for WHO/PAHO and UNICEF and most shipments are taking place via commercial air freight. A larger sea shipment ex China is also planned. • As per 17th September 159 passengers from 25 organizations have used the WFP passenger service to travel to 10 different destinations in the LAC region. • The WFP passenger flight schedule for humanitarian personnel is as follows from 22 September; o On Tuesdays: ▪ (Toluca Airport) – City (After 29 September, this leg will be cancelled) – - Panama City. ▪ Bogota – Panama City – Bogota. o On Wednesdays: Panama City – Port-au-Prince – – Panama City. o On Thursdays: Panama City – Tegucigalpa - (After 29 September, this leg will be cancelled) – Mexico City (Toluca Airport). • For the month of October, weekly scheduled will be adjusted to a bi-weekly schedule and flights will be operated on every second week. • Bookings must be made as soon as possible through the Humanitarian Booking Hub and no later than 7 days before the flights. 2. Contacts

John Myraunet Logistics Officer [email protected] Samuel Kealey Logistics Officer [email protected] Nafi Mert Kazmirci Logistics Officer [email protected]

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