10. Florida

After making landfall in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Mitch continued traveling in a northeast direction and due to a cold front, accelerated in speed and intensified in pressure. Having already affected the Florida Keys as a tropical storm, Mitch made its final landfall on November 5 near Naples, Florida, as a tropical storm with winds of 65 miles per hour (Wikipedia). Mitch lingered around this area for a few days while becoming extratropical, until it continued traveling to the northeast and losing its identity north of Great Britain on November 9. Although not many people died in the United States from Mitch, the storm caused 40 billion dollars in damage, in addition to damaging over 600 houses and leaving 100,000 people without power for a period of time. According to Kai Hill’s section, “Unprecedented U.S. Response,” of her article, “Mitch Left a Legacy of Justice Generosity and Justice,” it is pretty evident that numerous Americans became devoted to helping out Central Americans in the recovery from Mitch. She expands, “As always, [Catholic Relief Services]' ability to respond began with concerned Americans unwilling to let a disaster go unanswered. Hundreds of thousands of generous donors came forward with their support, concern and prayers” (“Mitch”). Further, "The proximity and immediacy of the plight of people in Central America, due to Hurricane Mitch, captivated the emotions of the North American people," wrote CRS President Ken Hackett in 2000. "This crisis sparked the desire of the American people to do something that would both help them fulfill their obligation to assist those in dire need, but also to reduce the vulnerability in the long term for these poor Central American nations" (“Mitch Left Legacy”). In this picture, winds at an outdoor theater are visible as the storm approaches the Florida coastline.

9. Mexico

As Hurricane Mitch traveled northward, it made landfall in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula region near Campeche. Prior to landing here, Mitch’s pressure had weakened causing it to downgrade to a tropical storm on November 3. The next day the storm again weakened to a tropical depression, yet when over the Gulf of Mexico the depression regained its strength as a tropical storm. According to Wikipedia, Mitch hit Cancun on the Quintana Roo Coast the worst. As the other countries affected by Mitch, Mexico experienced much rainfall and heavy winds. Nine people were killed, a number much less than the previously mentioned countries. Perhaps because Mexico was not nearly as affected as areas in Honduras is why numerous Mexicans traveled to Honduras in order to aid those who truly needed it the most. Mexicans helped the food shortage in Honduras, sending 700 tons of food, and also sent 11 tons of medicine, four rescue planes, rescue personnel, and trained search dogs (Wikipedia).

8. El Salvador and Guatemala

Similar to Nicaragua, Hurricane Mitch did not physically present itself in El Salvador, yet destruction still occurred. 80 percent of maize/ corn crops were lost, and coffee and sugar cane plantations were totally lost (“Hurricane Mitch”). Thankfully, Mitch did not leave such a hardship for El Salvadorians than it did for citizens in Honduras and Nicaragua. The main damage was flooding, which ultimately lead to the destruction of several roads and the ruin of coffee harvesting for some time. Since coffee was and is one of El Salvador’s main sources of economic stability, the country suffered financially from the marks Mitch left. Nearly 30,000 people were left without homes. According to the San Francisco United School District, 239 people died and around 130 went missing as a result of the hurricane.
Mitch moved northwestward across Guatemala on November 1. Here, 250 deaths 120 cases of missing people were reported. Several agencies reported that the areas most affected in the northeastern were parts of the country, including sites such as Isabal, Zacapa and Alta Verapaz (Disaster Center). The photograph above shows the damage in El Salvador that resulted from flooding.

7. Nicaragua

Like Honduras, Nicaragua was also affected by Hurricane Mitch, although the hurricane never actually physically made landfall in Nicaragua. Nonetheless, the hurricane’s extensive rainfall flooded both inland and coastal areas. Specific impact in Nicaragua can be seen throughout the country's bodies of water and volcanoes. For example, “The flank of the Casita Volcano failed and turned into a lahar from excessive rain. The resulting mudslide ultimately covered an area 10 miles (16 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide,” (Wikipedia). Further, “numerous villages, settlements, and houses between Casitas volcano and the town of Posoltega were destroyed” (Disaster Center). Damage could also be seen among houses, schools, and health centers, displacing much of the population. Excessive rainfall left 70 percent of the roads unusable, and destroyed or greatly damaged 71 bridges; total transportation damage in Nicaragua added up to $300 million (Wikipedia). In addition to the presumed 3800 people dead, 7000 were said to be missing and/or presumed dead. Agriculturally speaking, approximately 50,000 animals died, and much of the bean, banana, and sugar crops were destroyed.

6. San Pedro Sula

Tegucigalpa may be the politically recognized capital city of Honduras, yet Hondurans commonly view San Pedro Sula as the country’s industrial capital. Once Hurricane Mitch hit this industrial city, its Municipal Corporation of San Pedro Sula took immediate action and preventive measures by warning citizens to look for refuge in safe places; the corporation facilitated this safety precaution by providing 250 shelters for protect people from high-risk areas. Numerous other organizations helped the endangered citizens; among these groups are the cleaning unit of the Environmental Offices, the fire department, the laborers of the Municipal Board of Water, the Municipal Emergency Committee (CODEM), and the National Electric Company. These groups helped service the at-risk citizens by helping rehabilitate people, transfer supplies such as food and water, and remove fallen trees that blocked the river channels. These congenial efforts helped give almost immediate solutions during some of the most crucial moments of Hurricane Mitch’s activity in San Pedro Sula, not to mention preventing the city from losing any of its bridges like Tegucigalpa had (“Municipalidad de San Pedro Sula”). The picture to the right shows several men helping erect a shelter for hurricane victims.

5. Damage in the Capital City

From October 27 – 31, 1998, the hurricane produced torrential rains causing mass destruction due to mudslides in Tegucigalpa, yet the damage did not stop then. Tegucigalpa citizen Oswaldo Domingues added to the public journal on Sunday, November 1, that, “It has not stopped raining, there are no bridges, the streets are useless, we are also without water and the electricity comes in short instances. It is unbelievable!” He continued to comment that the vast crowds in many of the region’s supermarkets are causing the people to wait outside in the rain covered river like streets in order to gain entry to purchase necessary emergency supplies. Dominguez also added, “Thousands of houses fell and continue to fall. The bridge of the Penitentiary among others fell, and a great part of that building also fell. The criminals threw themselves to the water and escaped and the some police were shooting at them” (“Hurricane Mitch”). It is difficult to envision the destruction that affected so many Tegucigalpan and Honduran citizens during and after Hurricane Mitch passed through the region. This picture shows some Tegucigalpans trekking through the mudslides during the torrential rains.

Honduras, in the beginning

As previously stated, Hurricane Mitch did not begin as an extremely destructive Class Five Hurricane. However, upon developing from a tropical storm to hurricane status, Hurricane Mitch weakened a big and turned southwards, heading toward the northern coast of Honduras. As of 9:00 AM on Monday October 26, 1998, Hondurans fled to the nearest supermarkets and bakeries to their homes in order to stock up on emergency supplies. Among the scarcest items were candles, canned goods, batteries, bottled water, and any items that could be used to combat blackouts. Hurricane Fiji, a category two storm that hit the country in 1974, affected Hondurans by causing much property damage and human casualties. Upon becoming aware of Mitch's category five status, Hondurans felt utmost fear. Three hours later, sustained winds of 175 MPH were reported, and at 12:05 PM, Hurricane Mitch had begun damaging Honduras ("Hurricane Mitch"). The picture to the left shows the hurricane's arrival in Honduras.

Honduras, before and after

Honduras, before and after.

2. Development

On October 10, a disorganized tropical wave developed off of the western African coast and moved westward toward the Caribbean Sea on October 18. Upon entering the Caribbean, the wave organized into Tropical Depression Thirteen while 415 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica. This depression drifted westward and intensified into a tropical storm on October 23 at a location 260 miles southeast of San Andrés Island, a Colombian province in the Caribbean Sea.

1. Hurricane Mitch Overview

Hurricane Mitch occurred in the fall of 1998. It began on October 21 and technically ended on November 1, yet its damage has continued to affect areas in Central America. It most destructively affected Honduras and Nicaragua, yet still left significant damage in parts of Guatemala, El Salvador, and southern parts of Florida in North America.