The president of Honduras has ordained all government rescue institutions to start their emergency procedures prioritizing rescue and evacuations of people in danger, locating and opening shelters, providing food, water and clothing the victims in need.

These are the measures the government of Honduras is taking:

• Declare a state of emergency nation wide to face the natural disasters affecting our country because of the tropical depression number 16 and other phenomenon that have endangered the lives of thousands of people, and affecting the roads infrastructure, homes and public services.

• The coordination of this emergency situation belongs to COPECO. And it is instructed to all other rescue institutions to coordinate their activities with COPECO.

• The president of Honduras as the chief of the Armed Forces has instructed them to continue supporting their prevention, rescue and victim attention activities as a priority mission.

• It has also been instructed for the Secretary o Security to take the corresponding measures to maintain the public order and look out for the safety and security of the people.

• The Fondo Vial and the Fondo de Inversion Social (FHIS) are to summon all of their volunteers from social and construction organizations from around the country, as well as municipalities and contractors to acquire the machinery to start habilitating the roads immediately.

• A call to all the local chambers of commerce, private businesses, churches and humanitarian associations in Honduras to make donation of food, blankets, mattresses, medication and anything else that could be of use to the victims.

• The government also instructs SETCO (International Cooperation Secretary) and the Secretary of Foreign Affair to immediately seek for the support and humanitarian aid from other countries.

• Authorized and lead municipalities to proceed to use the funds assigned to Poverty Reduction (ERP) for the assistance to all victims.

• COPECO is authorized to transfer an amount of 50 to 500 thousand lempira’s to municipalities where damages have been registered to purchase food, and emergency supplies according to the number of victims.

• Hondutel, SANAA, ENEE and other companies that offer public services are instructed to organize teams to rehabilitate the services that have been affected.

• The government will proceed to purchase part of the strategic basic grains reserve from the Honduran Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IHMA) for the distributions to the affected communities.

• The Secretary of Education is instructed to suspend classes in those areas under red alert. And prepare the school buildings to be used as shelters.