Disaster Services — 23 January, 2021
Tropical Cyclone Eta Disaster Response
Section on the Eta & Iota that was part of the 2020 Disaster Services lessons learned report. It shows the area that was affected by the tropical cyclones and how the data was used for disaster response.
October 31st
Context
Eta originated as a tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea that developed into a tropical depression late on 31 October. Eta intensified into a major hurricane before reaching Category 4 strength on 3 November. An eyewall replacement cycle then caused the storm to weaken some, but it remained at Category 4 strength as it made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, late on 3 November. Eta rapidly weakened to tropical storm status early on 4 November. Although significantly reduced in strength, Eta, one of the most powerful storms to strike Central America since the deadly Hurricane Mitch in 1998, continued to pose concerns. In Honduras, rivers and towns on the Atlantic coast flooded, and landslides made roads impassable.
Size up
Yet another Tropical Cyclone poised to cause a humanitarian crisis; please find the size‐up below, this one we have a day or so to evaluate. Felix, I’m adding you on here as I wasn’t sure you follow the AWG mailing list but I know you have some connections and interest in Nicaragua, where Eta is set to make landfall. If you can initiate contact with the local community that is great, or if you can pass along some contact(s) to me, we can take it from there. Event Name:Hurricane Eta Type of Event: Slow Onset (1+ daybefore impact) Location: Central America Geographic Scope: Countries/Region (Nicaragua, Honduras) Estimated Humanitarian Impact: 150,000 in Category 1 or Higher storm Estimated Duration: Days to Week(s) Event Scope: Minor to Moderate Local Leads: TBD Anticipated Needs: Looking at Disaster.Ninja the area Eta is set to make landfall appears quite sparsely mapped Request(s): None Yet HOT Current Capacity: Capacity is poorto Manage another Activation but can be added to the current team’s activities; Support for a local response would be more efficient. Need for Activation: Low to Moderate
January 23, 2021
2020 Disaster Services lessons learned report
Background: “Eta originated as a tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea that developed into a tropical depression late on 31 October. Eta intensified into a major hurricane before reaching Category 4 strength on 3 November. An eyewall replacement cycle then caused the storm to weaken some, but it remained at Category 4 strength as it made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, late on 3 November. Eta rapidly weakened to tropical storm status early on 4 November. Although significantly reduced in strength, Eta, one of the most powerful storms to strike Central America since the deadly Hurricane Mitch in 1998, continued to pose concerns. In Honduras, rivers and towns on the Atlantic coast flooded, and landslides made roads impassable.”
Source: NOAA