effects hurricane honduras effects honduras included worst flooding honduras 20th century strongest storm atlantic hurricane season formed october category hurricane weakened struck honduras october near peak intensity struck offshore island nearly destroyed forest mainland hurricane dropped torrential rainfall washed away mountainous areas unofficial rainfall totals high highest official total southern honduras half annual precipitation average rains caused widespread flooding landslides impact winds severe president honduras estimated set years economic development storm wrecked houses damaged leaving million people homeless country population directly caused billion damage additional billion indirect costs damage ruined crops cash crop exports cut largely storm transportation infrastructure damaged damaged highways bridges widespread areas experienced power outages country lost water storm capital large landslide affected neighborhoods formed temporary dam floods city damaged buildings years old country fatalities reported department following storm officials honduras requested international assistance totaled billion year period despite gross domestic product began decreasing end contracted officials enacted widespread following storm days temporarily restricted constitutional rights maintain order diseases residents faced food water shortages heavy damage retired atlantic hurricane naming list preparations background hurricane formed october southwestern caribbean_sea eventually intensified category saffir simpson hurricane scale october time hurricane north coast honduras expected national_hurricane_center nhc tropical cyclone forecast models turn north track westward expected nhc recommended early october hurricane warning issued northeastern coast difficulties communications prevented immediate implementation hours hurricane warning place honduras nicaragua border including offshore failed turn north government honduras issued hurricane warning remainder coastline hurricane weakened turning south landfall honduras east estimated winds mph continued weaken moving slowly westward country october permanent commission coordinated neighboring countries storm officials initially issued state emergency offshore islands coastal departments later extended rest country government increased emergency spending created officials advised residents evacuate flood prone areas people stayed fear looted left stay relatives hurricane prisoners evacuated national stadium storm struck honduras facing decreased food supplies ongoing conditions economy growing rate similar previous year struck largely dependent exports population living poverty storm struck set economies countries region including honduras nicaragua guatemala el_salvador improved 1990s meteorological effects weak steering currents moved slowly week offshore moving honduras rainbands drew moisture pacific_ocean caribbean_sea producing high amounts rainfall day beginning october areas high mountain peaks contributed high precipitation totals highest amounts occurred southern honduras highest official total represented half annual precipitation average location fell hour period october double previous record set capital rainfall totaled total october broke record set day near storm landfall produced rainfall annual rainfall total fell october highest record unofficial rainfall totals central_america high rain mountainous areas washed away high rainfall caused rivers country overflow unprecedented extent century described united_nations flooding caused change course forming widespread flooding near northern coast left sediment ruined forests shrimp ponds flooding affected pacific coast leaving debris sediment country interior particularly southern portion high rainfall caused hundreds landslides shallow form debris flow caused significant damage near mainland honduras winds damaging rainfall offshore islands sustained heavy damage high winds offshore northern honduras estimated produced waves high impact overall hurricane caused estimated billion damage billion direct damages remainder indirect costs overall impact represented honduras annual gross domestic product offshore october schooner reported location south trying escape storm united_states_coast_guard searched november observed debris ship people board presumed killed offshore island waters rose storm combination storm surge high winds severely damaged offshore islands high waves eroded northern coastlines damaged damage water facilities days winds exceeding mph destroyed nearly plants trees knocking entire forest trees average height fell remaining standing damaged internally unable trees lost leaves island trees knocked trees likewise experienced severe damage recovery year trees years storm struck indicating level destruction tree damage occurred nearby island lesser degree occurring eastern end winds generally mph tree damage random mainland hurricane wrought significant damage honduras affecting nearly entire population causing damage departments high winds near coast knocked trees particularly mountainous areas latin_america caribbean estimated caused worst floods 20th century country severe flooding occurred northern region washed away entire villages san northwestern honduras flooding covered neighborhoods international airport near coast high waves destroyed hotels houses swollen rivers flooded nearby areas damage heaviest departments department left heavy damage path flooded departments southern portion country river flooding swept away houses affected neighborhoods estimated transportation network destroyed including bridges secondary roads amounting million damage mountainous areas floods carrying debris damaged roads bridges total bridges damaged destroyed additional approach roads likewise damaged vehicles washed away floods contrast roads little railway damage minor impact nation airports limited damage air traffic equipment sustained minor damage lost electronic equipment left widespread power outages damaging power lines power plants honduras telephone lines damaged storm landslides flooding contaminated cities including systems rural areas cities sustained damage water network honduras lost access fresh water storm rural areas experiencing water shortages combined damage transportation communication utilities including power water estimated million communications disrupted power outages fuel water shortages flooding damaged destroyed industrial areas honduras affected exports domestic products factories damaged northern portion country destroyed businesses shut leaving people unemployed lost homes destroyed health facilities nationwide wrecked classrooms classrooms result classes gone november ended month early allowing teachers assist helping high water levels affected capital reaching levels banks largely destroyed center city including residential buildings river banks floods damaged buildings including years old storm destroyed primary water neighboring water repaired central large mountain weighed landslide largest generated country destroyed section damaged portions neighborhoods carried debris trees rocks forming temporary dam laden sewage landslide slow moving officials able evacuate river stopped temporary dam smaller landslide destroyed houses section capital slow moving residents able evacuate landslides destroyed houses rivers city erosion river banks honduras agriculture sustained damage initial estimates crops destroyed flooding affected country land covered extended period time washed away large areas long period time recover banana crop lost loss sugar cane corn corn crop harvested killed population crop agricultural damage totaled billion country years recover poor road conditions following storm prevented crops dried caused damage honduras estimated houses nationwide destroyed damaged poorly built flood prone areas left million people homeless total population highest number victims natural disaster honduras history populations departments left homeless housing costs estimated million including million housing damage rest included costs shelters removal debris loss rent deaths injuries overall hurricane killed people honduras missing months storm people listed missing days struck problems record keeping difficult determine exact total southern portion country deaths fatalities includes deaths fatalities deaths department dead buried mass graves cremated storm injured people nationwide departments aftermath president estimated reversed years progress country officials estimated years rebuild completely national gross domestic product grew rate storm compared damaged infrastructure lingering effects economy honduras contracted largely storm government increased spending emergency funds restore communications provide relief caused economic caused inflation increase government adjusted economic plan including federal entities years government temporarily halted taxes businesses affected hurricane storm immediate aftermath officials enacted widespread reports looting vandalism government temporarily restricted constitutional rights days officials urged residents restrict water fuel use alcohol sales halted widespread flooding crippled infrastructure forced officials rely limited number helicopters operate search rescue missions deliver supplies helicopter carrying people including mayor potential presidential candidate crashed november touring flood damage killing aboard areas residents receive assistance november weeks landfall people remained shelters schools weeks hurricane struck sports churches makeshift shelters shelters caused diseases hurricane widespread destruction hurricane caused malaria cholera fever respiratory illnesses ongoing flooding caused outbreak notably widespread food water shortages leaving villagers near starvation damaged crops prevented export cash crops exports decreased people left homeless unemployed reductions exports economic growth officials set shelters housed people month landslide temporary filled sewage persisted months crew dug channel drain water storm struck government honduras issued appeal international assistance immediate aftermath united_states provided aid portion went purchasing delivering food majority utilized participate rescue missions deliver supplies plastic sheets water united_states ultimately gave million aid honduras united_nations organizations mexico donated food medicine clothing cuba sent team doctors mobile hospitals donated pump city restore water sent aid honduras addition donations european_union france sent medical equipment government japan provided field hospital helped patients day center following storm sent team honduras el_salvador determine needs population government requested team assess socio economic impact storm provided million worth food country focused restoring water systems providing sent large water tanks approved million loans loans assist rebuilding damaged infrastructure including water systems transportation houses countries provided nearly billion country aid limited annual debt following hurricane damage foreign aid storm largely ended overall cost reconstruction estimated billion estimated years cost repairing damaged houses estimated million following storm workers emergency repairs destroyed bridges roads cost rebuilding roads higher damage cost planning future flooding month repairs power grid level struck water companies restored water month storm striking honduras delegation requested retired following hurricane member committee voted support replace matthew
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