Choluteca Families Receive Emergency Food Rations

The municipal government of Choluteca over the weekend delivered 232 rations of food to families who lost their crops due to the five-month drought in southern and south-western Honduras. "Each ration consists of 10 pounds of corn and 15 pounds of beans, or enough to feed a family for a couple of days" said Norman Fúnez, who heads Choluteca's Municipal Emergency Committee (Codem) which distributed the food to 36 families in the community of Guapinol, 54 in Las Chilcas, 58 in Salazar, and 84 Zacatustal. According to Mr. Fúnez, approximately 2,576 families in the municipality of Choluteca thus far are known to have lost their crops, but government workers are continuing to evaluate the situations in as many towns, villages, and hamlets as possible.

Mayor Quintín Sorian has reportedly requested food aid from the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). Miguel Barreto, based in Tegucigalpa, is the director WFP in Honduras. The organization has sub-offices in the departments of Atlántida, Choluteca, Cortés, El Paraíso, Gracias a Dios, Intibucá, Lempira, Olancho, Santa Barbara, and Yoro. (1/24/10) (photo courtesy La Tribuna)