The death toll caused by flooding and mudslides in Central America and Mexico has climbed to more than 100 people, and at least 1 million are suffering the effects of the disaster.
Workers with Convoy of Hope’s children’s feeding initiative in El Salvador report that flooding has damaged 70 percent of that country’s crops.
“The consequences of this disaster will be long-lasting,” says Nick Wiersma, a Convoy of Hope disaster responder. “Many roads are impassable, preventing people from getting to their jobs. This creates a ripple effect leaving them with no money to buy food and water or repair their damaged homes.”
Convoy of Hope’s in-country workers in El Salvador began distributing food and supplies to desperate families as soon as the disaster began to unfold. Disaster responders from Convoy of Hope’s World Distribution Center in Springfield, Mo., have now joined these in-country workers to help with the distribution.
They are distributing and demonstrating the use of water filters in communities where the water supply has been contaminated. Some areas reported they had been without clean drinking water for two weeks.
Convoy of Hope disaster responder Ryan Grabill trains local groups to install water filtration units.
In addition to the supplies already being distributed, Convoy of Hope is readying two shipping containers of items such as tents, canned goods, water purification sachets, diapers, cleaning supplies and paper products.
Convoy of Hope disaster responders are also communicating with partners in Guatemala and Mexico to assess how the organization can help victims of the disaster in those countries.
You can help Convoy of Hope make a difference in places like El Salvador.
