Central America, the Bahamas, Grand Cayman Island, Jamaica, Mexico, and southeastern United States

• Category 4 Hurricane Eta made landfall in Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, on November 3, 2020, and then continued on to other parts of Central America, causing severe damage

• Sadly, a nine-year-old grandson of a Witness couple in Tabasco, Mexico, died when he was swept away by floodwaters

• Hurricane Eta downgraded to a tropical storm and affected Grand Cayman Island, the Bahamas, and Jamaica. The storm eventually moved into the Gulf of Mexico and affected the United States

• Costa Rica

  • 108 publishers had to evacuate

  • 7 publishers lost all their belongings

• Guatemala

  • 163 publishers initially had to evacuate; 85 publishers have been able to return home

  • 3 families lost all their belongings

  • Additionally, 1 family of 3 publishers was trapped on the second floor of their home before being rescued

• Honduras

  • 1,984 publishers initially had to evacuate; at least 376 have been able to return home

• Jamaica

  • 4 publishers had to evacuate

• Mexico

  • In the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, 1,618 publishers were evacuated; 112 have been able to return home

• Nicaragua

  • 238 publishers had to evacuate; 232 have been able to return home

• Panama

  • 27 publishers had to evacuate; 6 have returned home

• United States

  • 48 publishers had to evacuate; 27 have returned home

• Bahamas

  • 1 home was damaged

• Costa Rica

  • 3 homes were destroyed

  • 6 homes were damaged

• Guatemala

  • 2 homes were destroyed by landslides

• Honduras

  • 7 Kingdom Halls sustained minor damage

• Nicaragua

  • 73 homes were damaged

• Grand Cayman Island

  • 4 homes were damaged

  • 1 Kingdom Hall sustained minor damage

• Jamaica

  • 50 homes were damaged

  • 1 Kingdom Hall was damaged

• United States

  • 141 homes were damaged

  • 9 Kingdom Halls sustained minor damage

• The Central America branch has appointed three Disaster Relief Committees (DRCs), two in Mexico and another in Honduras, to coordinate necessary relief efforts. In the other affected countries, the DRCs appointed to care for relief efforts related to COVID-19 are assisting with the storm-related relief work

• In the United States branch territory, congregations as well as the DRCs appointed to care for COVID-19 in these areas are assisting the relief efforts

• Circuit overseers in all of these areas are providing spiritual encouragement to the affected families

• Local brothers and sisters in safe areas have been able to provide shelter and food for those who have had to evacuate

• All relief efforts comply with safety protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic

Despite the destructive effects of this storm, we are encouraged to see how our brothers are supporting one another. We know that our God, Jehovah, will prove to be ‘a secure refuge in this time of distress.’—Psalm 9:9.