Alert
Honduras - No. 13/2009
Geneva, 29 May 2009
On 28 May 2009, a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Honduras on its Atlantic coast at 2:24 am local time (8:24 am GMT). The most affected regions are the Bahía islands (Roatán, Guanaja and Utila), located 600 km north of the capital, the harbor towns of La Ceiba, Trujillo and Puerto Cortés and the valley of Sula, with the cities of San Pedro Sula, La Lima and El Progreso. Other parts of the country were affected due to reactivation of geological faults. Shocks were also felt in Guatemala, in particular in the northern department of Izabal.
The government's disaster response agency (COPECO) reports a total of six deaths including three children, 17 persons injured, 80 houses destroyed and 175 damaged. Three bridges were damaged, as well as three schools, one hospital and nine churches. The water system and electricity lines were affected in several parts of the country. Communications have been suffering from on and off cuts.
One ACT members' partner, the Mennonite Committee for Social Action, which is present in the northern part of the country, indicates that a number of buildings suffered damage in San Pedro Sula. Some areas remain without water or electricity. The bridge of La Democracia collapsed, cutting off the road connection with El Progreso and the Atlantic coast. Further damage is reported in San Sebastian (department of Lempira), San Manuel and La Lima (department of Cortes). More information from other ACT members is expected.
COPECO, together with the municipal and local infrastructures (CODEM and CODEL) as well as the organisations active in the affected areas are currently assessing the damages and needs in the different regions and more details are expected shortly. Firefighters and rescue units are also providing assistance. The in-country coordination is following pre-established national emergency response plans. However, experience for this particular type of emergency is lacking, as well as response capacity.
ACT members Christian Aid, the Comision Cristiana de Desarollo, DanChurchAid, HEKS and the Lutheran World Federation, working together through the ACT Honduras forum, are currently assessing the situation with the help of their partners. Due to frequent interruptions of electricity, phone and internet services, information sharing is being delayed. ACT members will remain in contact with one another, and in the coming days with an increased level of information, will decide on the necessity of an ACT response.
Any funding indication or pledge should be communicated to Jessie Kgoroeadira, ACT Finance Officer (jkg@act-intl.org).
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ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide.
The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Men transport their belongings at El Peru neighborhood in Puerto Cortes, May 29, 2009. A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake shook Honduras on Thursday, killing at least six people, knocking down flimsy ...
