The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Second hurricane in two weeks hits Central America
The United Nations warned on Tuesday of catastrophic consequences from Hurricane Iota, the second major tropical cyclone to hit Central America this month.
“We're running out of superlatives for this Atlantic hurricane season. It's record breaking in every sense of the word. We are currently, with Iota, on the 30th named tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season”, Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorlogical Organization, told a regular UN news briefing in Geneva.
“Iota made landfall less than two weeks after Hurricane Eta, which was also a very strong category four hurricane, made landfall just 25 kilometres apart. So we're having these huge impacts hitting basically the same area. Nicaragua, Honduras, other parts of Central America have not recovered from Hurricane Eta, and now they're being slammed by this new terrific powerful hurricane.”
Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said aid workers were still uncovering the extent of damage from Eta and were now preparing to deal with a second impact.
“Indeed, in Central America, people are again bracing for the potentially catastrophic consequences of Iota, as we heard, just two weeks after Hurricane Eta made landfall in the region causing death and destruction, as a total of almost 5 million people affected by the previous hurricane. Iota, with its strong winds and very heavy rainfall, can cause life-threatening flash flooding, river flooding and landslides, not least because the soil is already saturated by Eta.”
Tomson Phiri: spokesperson for the World Food Programme, said humanitarian agencies had done what they could to prepare for a bad hurricane season.
“It has turned out to be even worse than we thought. It started earlier and is going to end even late. For example, continued flooding in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, is going to affect the incoming harvest, and this will severely strain subsistence farmers and already, whilst it's still early days, it is quite clear that this will extend the emergency even into mid-2021.”
Ms. Nullis said: “This is a time of year when the season should normally be winding down. And it's not. In fact, you know, we're seeing this very tragic late surge in action. Iota is the strongest storm in the hurricane season so far to make landfall.”
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- Wide shot, podium with speakers in a near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “We're running out of superlatives for this Atlantic hurricane season. It's, it's record breaking in every sense of the word. We are currently with Iota on the 30th named tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.”
- Medium shot, row of seats with journalist sitting to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “Iota made landfall less than two weeks after Hurricane Eta, which was also a very strong category four hurricane, made landfall just 25 kilometres apart. So we're having these huge impacts hitting basically the same area. Nicaragua, Honduras, other parts of Central America have not recovered from Hurricane Eta, and now they're being slammed by this new terrific powerful hurricane.”
- Close-up, camera filming in foreground and podium with speakers to rear, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):“Indeed, in Central America, people are again bracing for the potentially catastrophic consequences of Iota, as we heard, just two weeks after Hurricane Eta made landfall in the region causing death and destruction, as a total of almost 5 million people affected by the previous hurricane. Iota, with its strong winds and very heavy rainfall, can cause life-threatening flash flooding, river flooding and landslides, not least because the soil is already saturated by Eta.”
- Medium shot, row of seats with journalist sitting to rear and typing on phone, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Tomson Phiri, spokesperson, WFP (World Food Programme): “It has turned out to be even worse than we thought. It started earlier and is going to end even late. For example, continued flooding in countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, is going to affect the incoming harvest, and this will severely strain subsistence farmers and already, whilst it's still early days, it is quite, it is quite clear that this will extend the emergency even into mid-2021.”
- Close-up, UN staff sitting in front of laptop and using listening device, Room XIV, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Clare Nullis, spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “This is a time of year when the season should normally be winding down. And it's not. In fact, you know, we're seeing this very tragic late surge in action. Iota is the strongest storm in the hurricane, in this season so far to make landfall.”
- Wide shot, near-empty Room XIV in line with COVID-19 distancing measures, side shot, Palais des Nations.
- Medium shot, podium with speakers, side shot, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
- Close-up, journalist looking at his phone, Room XIV, Palais des Nations.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday made the following remarks on the current situation in the Middle-East.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR , WFP
Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced, aid routes compromised: UN humanitarians deplore effects of new Middle East war
On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM
Well over 1.3 million people have fled Sudan’s ongoing war for South Sudan, the UN migration agency, IOM, reported on Friday, amid rising violence and a massive humanitarian emergency linked to the country’s political crisis.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday presented to the 61st Human Rights Council his global update on the human rights situation.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday presented to the UN Human Rights Council a new report on the human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday briefed the Human Rights Council in Geneva on the human rights situation in Sudan: “Nearly three years of brutal conflict have almost turned Sudan into a land of despair. The report I am presenting today is yet another chapter in the chronicle of cruelty. It outlines clear, ongoing patterns of violence against civilians, including killings, rape, and torture. As the fighting has intensified, violations of international law by all parties to the conflict have surged, while accountability has remained practically absent,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday told the Human Rights Council in Geneva today: “Afghanistan is a graveyard for human rights. The cascade of edicts and laws announced by the de facto authorities since coming to power in 2021 is having a crushing impact on the Afghan people, particularly women and girls.”
3
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS , OCHA , UNHCR
Ukraine enters fifth year of war: Attacks and displacement deepen human suffering amid mounting recovery challenges
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, UN officials took stock of the immense human and economic toll of the conflict while appealing to the world to “never get used to war.”
2
27
2
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | General Assembly , UNITED NATIONS
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on 24 February 2022 shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent, but war must never be the new normal, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday.