Facts and Figures: In November 2020 Hurricane Eta, peaking as a category 4 storm, impacted Central America and the Caribbean. Just two weeks later Hurricane Iota, of similar magnitude, affected some of the same Central American countries, including Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. The twin storms affected more than 7.5 million people in Honduras and resulted in widespread flooding, landslides, damage to infrastructure and crops. The short time between the two storms eroded people’s ability to cope and recover from the storms, requiring humanitarian assistance. In addition to the sequential storms, there were also non-hazard compounding factors that increased the impact of the storms, including factors such as persistent violence that limited people’s ability to receive warning or move to shelters, the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and governance issues, amongst others.

The COMPASS contribution: We will explore the non-climate compounding factors, and develop impact pathways to qualitatively understand the vulnerability and exposure factors that resulted in the disproportionate impact. Counterfactual tropical cyclone tracks and exposure data will be used. The case study will also provide lessons for hurricane-prone countries in the Caribbean, including European territories.