Hurricane Julia Prompts Convoy Response in Nicaragua

December 14, 2022 | 4 p.m.

Communities in Nicaragua and Guatemala are still rebuilding after Hurricane Julia hit in early October. Convoy of Hope teams continue to distribute food, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies to families affected by the storm.

So far, Convoy of Hope has distributed nearly 1 million meals to more than 33,000 individuals and families in 16 communities. Over the past few weeks, additional relief kits were also prepared and delivered.

According to a report from the Secretary of Planning and Programming of the Presidency (Segeplan), 45% of the national territory of Guatemala was affected by the hurricane. Statistics regarding the storm are just recently coming to light for some Central American communities.

Convoy of Hope remains committed to providing hope in every storm — even long after the storm has departed.

October 24, 2022 | 4:38 p.m.

Weeks after Hurricane Julia dumped torrential rainfall on Central America, Convoy of Hope teams are on the ground providing relief.

So far, Convoy of Hope has supplied more than 15,000 residents in Nicaragua with food, water, cleanup kits, tarps, blankets, cleaning supplies, hygiene kits, and more.

According to a report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 13,000 families evacuated Nicaragua and more than 800 houses sustained damage from flooding across the country.

Because the soil was heavily saturated from previous rain storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides brought devastating damage to many communities. At least 38 people lost their lives, and more than 1.6 million were directly affected by the storm.

October 15, 2022 | 1:07 a.m.

Convoy of Hope began tracking Tropical Storm Julia as it formed in the Caribbean Sea. Before making landfall in Nicaragua, it became a Category 1 hurricane. It then downgraded again to a tropical storm as it moved west through the nation. After heavy rainfall and catastrophic winds, Julia eventually left the country on the Pacific side. 

Convoy of Hope has initiated a response in Nicaragua. More than 800,000 meals will be delivered to families all across the impacted areas. The distribution of food will continue over the next few weeks as those who have been impacted recover. 

A “state of calamity” was declared by Guatemala’s president, Alejandro Giammattei, as multiple countries in Central America were impacted by the storm. 

Nearly 1 million residents along Nicaragua’s coastal region lost power and internet, Reuters reported.

Some of the outages were from fallen lines, but the majority came from a government decision to cut the electricity for safety reasons. 

NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement showed rainfall amounts in excess of 11 inches across Nicaragua and other areas of Central America. 

According to Convoy of Hope staff in Central America, more than 5,000 homes were impacted by the effects of Julia. Rivers overflowed their banks, and many lives were put in danger because of the storm. 

Convoy of Hope is honored to extend your kindness and compassion to the people of Central America reeling from the effects of Hurricane Julia. If you would like to contribute to help these survivors and others like them, you can do so here.