Hurricane Nana Sub-Regional Flash Update No. 01 As of 5:00PM EST, 3 September 2020

KEY POINTS

• Nana made landfall in early 3 September as a Category 1 hurricane after passing near ’ northern coasts and the Bay Islands department, bringing heavy rains and 60mph wind speeds before weakening to a Tropical Storm over northern . • While authorities in Honduras, Belize and Guatemala continue to evaluate Nana’s impact in their countries, preliminary reports indicate minimal damages. At present, there are no requests for international assistance. • Normal levels of rainfall continue in the wake of Nana’s passage, placing some areas in Guatemala and Honduras at risk of landslides and localized flash flooding. • Nana will reach southern late 3 September, where Civil Protection authorities have issued the necessary alerts to activate coordination protocols, and then move over the Gulf of Tehuantepec on 4 September.

Map information source: National Emergency Management Organization (Belize) The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

BELIZE • The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) says there are no reports of casualties or major injuries, adding that preliminary assessments indicate minimal damages that are within national response capacities pending continued assessments. • The Stann Creek district in south-eastern Belize took the most impact, sustaining varying degrees of damage to buildings, infrastructure and crops. • As of 7:00am 3 September, NEMO reports more than 4,000 people sheltered, with more than half in Toledo (2,079), Belize’s southern-most district. Dangriga in Stann Creek reports 980 people sheltered, the capital of Belmopan reports 355 people sheltered and Belize City, the country’s most populous city, reports 319 people sheltered.

GUATEMALA • Nana brought moderate rains and moderate-to-strong winds in the departments of Petén and Izabal, neither of whom report significant damages at the moment. • The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) reports at least 500 people affected as the result of a collapsed land pass between communities in the Alta Verapaz department. • CONRED is monitoring Nana’s continued passage throughout the day over the western mountain departments of Quiché and Huehuetenango while coordinating with community leaders to determine appropriate response actions. • CONRED indicates that Sololá, Quetzaltenango, San Marcos and Petén are at high risk of landslides.

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HONDURAS • The Permanent Commission for Contingencies (COPECO) reports minimal damage along Honduras’ northern coasts and that weather conditions are back to normal rainfall levels. • The Bay Islands Department reports light flooding, fallen trees, minor power outages and minor damages to the Roatán island main hospital. • Areas in western, central and south Honduras are still experiencing some rains that may trigger landslides and localized flash flooding in areas so prone.

MEXICO • Chiapas State Civil Protection expects Nana to bring 3 to 6 inches of rain as the storm continues to weaken along its westward path towards Mexico’s Pacific coastline. • National Civil Protection says rainfall from Nana is likely in Chiapas, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Campeche, with heavy rains likely in Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

RESPONSE

BELIZE • NEMO issued an all clear for all of Belize, while also advising that flooding and landslides are still possible, and that road clearance is currently the main response priority. • NEMO is carrying out assessments with UNDP support. • Belize Red Cross teams are assessing damages across the country. • Public institutions including the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Health, the Belize Defence Force, the Belize Police Department and utility companies are deploying across the country to provide assistance as needed. • The UN system activated their contingency plan, carried out security procedures and have offered their support to the Government of Belize.

GUATEMALA • CONRED pre-positioned emergency supplies, including food rations, kitchen kits and water supplies, and pre- deployed five strategic teams and three rapid response teams to Izabal, Alta Verapaz, Quetzaltenango and Huehuetenango. • CONRED departmental Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) are active, as are more than 900 shelters for use in areas potentially affected by Nana if required. • The Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) is monitoring developments and remains on standby and in contact with CONRED. • Izabal authorities report that they are monitoring river levels and soil saturation levels in the wake of Nana.

HONDURAS • COPECO has deployed damage evaluation teams to affected areas and are maintaining the Bay Islands department under yellow alert, with the remainder of the country under green alert. • Preliminary COPECO reports cite minor material damages, with no one in shelters and no loss of life. • COPECO and humanitarian partners are meeting to discuss appropriate actions; a request for international assistance is unlikely.

MEXICO • Chiapas Civil Protection activated coordination protocols with armed forces, public institutions and the national Government.

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs www.unocha.org/rolac Central America & Mexico: Hurricane Nana – Flash Update No. 01 | 3

• National Civil Protection has placed eastern Chiapas under red alert, northern, central and southern Chiapas under orange alert, and western Chiapas under yellow alert, along with south-eastern Tabasco. Eastern Oaxaca, western and southern Tabasco and southern Campeche and eastern Tabasco are under green alert. • COVID-19 protocols are in place for shelters if evacuations are carried out. • OCHA and the UN Emergency Technical Team (UNETT) continue to monitor developments and are in contact with national and state Civil Protection.

For further information, please contact:

Veronique Durroux, OCHA ROLAC Head of Advocacy and Information Unit, [email protected] Barbara Batista, OCHA ROLAC Regional Disaster Response Adviser – Central America & Mexico, [email protected] Dario Alvarez, OCHA ROLAC Regional Disaster Response Adviser – Caribbean, [email protected]

For more information, please visit www.unocha.org/rolac | www.reliefweb.int

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