Central American countries began to see an improvement in the weather on Wednesday after suffering the violent impact of cyclone Iota, which dissipated over El Salvador after leaving at least 14 dead, flooded towns and damage to road infrastructure.
Hurricane Iota’s landfall location was just 15 miles (25 km) south of where Hurricane Eta made landfall just two weeks before, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hurricane Iota was barreling through Central America on Tuesday, hours after making landfall as the strongest Atlantic storm this year along a stretch of Nicaraguan coast devastated by a powerful storm just two weeks ago.
Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua announced evacuations Friday as a second major hurricane in days closed in on Central America with the region still reeling from deadly storm Eta last week.
Health systems will have to respond to both the pandemic and the peak of other respiratory diseases, while an active hurricane season could jeopardize progress.
Hurricane Otto's force is being felt throughout Central America as Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama have seen significant damages to their Caribbean coasts.