A mere 13 days after Hurricane Eta, another powerful hurricane, Iota, lashed the western coast of Nicaragua and Honduras late Monday night, November 16. By the time Iota made landfall, the storm had intensified to a Category 4 hurricane. Like Eta before it, Iota carved a trail of destruction and heartbreak across Central America.

Even before Iota arrived, communities were still struggling to recover from Eta. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that Eta destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes and affected more than 3 million people—many of them in remote communities in some of the poorest areas of Latin America. Families lost their homes, and churches, schools, and other sturdy buildings quickly filled with displaced people seeking shelter. Before communities could begin meaningful rebuilding efforts, officials warned the region to brace for Iota.

Because Eta had already saturated the ground, Iota’s arrival quickly triggered mudslides and flash flooding. As rivers and creeks overflowed, roadways turned into fast‑moving waterways that swept away fallen trees and the remains of destroyed homes. Reports from Honduras confirmed that the storms affected communities where World Renew works and forced families to evacuate.

“Out of concern for the safety of those who live in the World Renew community of Laure, teams evacuated families to safer terrain,” said Rolando Pinzon, a World Renew staff member in Honduras. “Teams continue to monitor conditions in other communities where we work, as the threat from flash flooding and mudslides remains very real.”

The back‑to‑back hurricanes have already caused widespread devastation, but the danger has not passed. Although Iota weakened and downgraded to a tropical storm, heavy rains continue to threaten further flooding and mudslides. Many of those affected are subsistence farmers who lost their crops—their only source of income—and now urgently need food. Access to clean drinking water remains limited. More people continue to seek refuge in already overcrowded shelters, while the ongoing threat of COVID‑19 compounds the crisis.

“The current situation in Honduras and across the region is critical, and our people are hurting,” shared Rolando Pinzon. “We have been grappling with the effects of COVID‑19, and now we must also endure the heartbreak and loss brought by these two hurricanes. Pray for us.”

The people of Latin America need continued support and prayer as they face immediate hardship and the long process of rebuilding. We pray that God will grant courage to those affected as they move forward. We also pray that the rain and flooding will subside and that people sheltering together will remain healthy and protected from COVID‑19.

Pray With Us

Please join us in praying for the people of Honduras, Nicaragua, and throughout the region:

Heavenly Father, please provide comfort and support to all those who have lost loved ones. We also pray for the safety of all our onground partners who work with our Latin American team. We thank God for blessing them with the resilience they need as they deliver essential supplies and ensure that displaced people have shelter.

Help Us Prepare for the Future

World Renew is continuing to respond by providing food, shelter items, and hygiene kits for families throughout Latin America affected by Hurricanes Eta and Iota.

But each year, more communities face the aftermath of destruction caused by earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and other storms, as well as conflict and upheaval.

Gifts like yours are a lifeline for families as they face loss or uncertainty after a disaster. By making a recurring gift to World Renew’s International Disaster Response program, you can ensure help is ready when and where it’s needed most.

Give today and choose the monthly giving option. Thank you for your generosity!