Emergency Response

On an emergency response basis, Rights Action provides support for communities harmed by “natural disasters”, including hurricanes and cyclones and ensuing mudslides, floods, destruction of lives, homes and property.

Since 1995, Rights Action has responded to a number of “natural disasters”, the most deadly and destructive being Hurricanes Mitch (1998) and Stan (2005).

“Natural disasters” are never just about the forces of nature.

As in the case of Covid19 (2020), what turns a “natural disaster” into a human disasters are the over-lapping impacts of pre-existing vulnerabilities (climate crisis, exploitation and poverty, repression and militarism, corruption and impunity) that endemically devastater g the poor, exploited sectors of society and the poor, exploited countries of the unjust and unequal nation-state system.

"Honduras and Guatemala are countries of historic, “normal” pandemics: The pandemics of exploitation and poverty; of landlessness, hunger and no access to water; of dengue and malnutrition; of government corruption and repression; and, today, of Covid19. All these pandemics are inter-related. Focusing restrictive, even violent actions on one pandemic - Covid19 - without an integral understanding and strategy, can only deepen and reinforce the “normal” pandemics. There will be even more people living with hunger, lack of water and dengue, …”
(Adapted from statement by Dr. Juan Almendares Bonilla)

Rights Action’s emergency response work is always to get relief funds directly to community partner groups living in the disaster-affected regions, who are in the best position to identify and provide support to the most harmed people and communities.

Hurricane Mitch, 1998

Hurricane Mitch was the second-deadliest Atlantic ocean hurricane on record, causing over 15,000 deaths in Central America in October 1998, mostly in Honduras. Mitch wrecked over 85,000 homes and left some 1.5 million people homeless - about 20% of Honduras' population.

Hurricane Stan, 2005

Hurricane Stan devastated much of Central America in October 2005. Stan originated as a cyclone system in the Pacific ocean before increasing in strength to hurricane levels. The worst country affected was Guatemala, where rains caused flooding and over 900 mudslides in the highland and south-western regions. Hundreds were killed and some 450,000 people directly harmed by Stan.

For more information on emergency response work in general, and our current Covid19 response work, please contact us.