IRI Climate Information
Digest - Impacts October 1998
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CLIMATE AND HEALTH - Despite
the severe and widespread damage associated with hurricane Mitch the Pan-American
Health organization has issued the following statement. "Although
the risk of dengue, malaria, cholera and other diseases has increased in
the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, PAHO/WHO indicates that, contrary to
rumors, no epidemics are resulting from the Hurricane."
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HAZARDS/THREATS
- Hurricane Mitch formed in the Caribbean Basin on 24 October 1998 and
continued to effect the area through early November. Honduras, Nicaragua
and Guatemala suffered the most severe consequences of the hurricane but
all of Central America from Costa Rica northward was adversely influenced.
The Honduran National Emergency Commission (CONEH) reported that 6,546
persons were killed, 6,586 are missing and approximately 1.1 million were
displaced. In Nicaragua the extremely heavy rains caused extensive
flooding and landslides. The Nicaraguan National Defense System estimated
that 2,042 people have died and 1,094 are missing. Officials in Guatemala
report a total of 258 deaths and 120 people missing while the National
Emergency Committee (NEC) of El Salvador reported 239 people dead and 135
missing as a result of flash floods.
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AGRICULTURE -
Flooding associated with Hurricane Mitch caused crop damage in Honduras,
Nicaragua, Belize and extreme southeastern Mexico. In the Philippines,
flooding associated with typhoon activity damaged copra, sugarcane and
rice.
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FISHERIES - Reports
from mid-month suggests that South American fisheries are beginning to
show signs of some recovery following the adverse effects of the 1997/1998
El Niño.
Except for Chile, week-to-week improvements were noted with substantially
greater volumes than during the same weeks last year; 58% larger in some
instances. However, weekly catches remain below the five year averages
in most locations.
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