Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 30 May 2025

KEY FIGURES

  • 21K people without power as a rare tornado strikes southern Chile
  • 2.1K suspected cases of cholera in Haiti since late December 2024
  • 21.2K people affected by rain-related incidents in Antioquia, Colombia

MEXICO: TROPICAL STORM ALVIN

Tropical Storm Alvin, the first named storm of the 2025 Eastern Pacific hurricane season, formed on 28 May and is currently moving northward over open waters toward the Gulf of California. As of 30 May at 03:00 UTC, Alvin was located 780 km south of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h. The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical depression by 1 June as it passes about 10 km south-east of Baja California Sur. Mexico’s Civil Protection agency has issued coastal watches for the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Jalisco due to the risk of heavy rainfall, strong winds and rough seas. Influenced by unusually warm sea surface temperatures, Alvin formed nearly a month earlier than 2024’s first named storm. Meanwhile, the Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on 1 June, with NOAA forecasting a 60 per cent chance of an above-normal season, including 13–19 named storms, 6–10 hurricanes, and 3–5 major hurricanes.

CHILE: TORNADO

On 25 May, a rare tornado struck the southern Chilean city of Puerto Varas, damaging over 250 homes, injuring at least 19 people, and leaving more than 21,000 without power, according to the IFRC and media reports. In response, Desafío Levantemos Chile, the Connecting Business initiative (CBi) Member Network in the country, rapidly deployed emergency teams to the area, assessing damage, clearing debris, and coordinating with local authorities to support recovery efforts. Desafío’s rapid deployment highlights how CBi member networks use local expertise and partnerships to deliver timely, effective disaster response that connects community needs with private sector resources.

HAITI: CHOLERA

Cholera remains a serious public health emergency, particularly in Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien, amid limited access to safe water, sanitation, and healthcare, especially in displacement sites. WHO reports more than 2,100 suspected cases in the Ouest, Centre, and Artibonite departments from late December 2024 to 17 May 2025, including 55 confirmed cases and 28 deaths. WHO and PAHO, with support from OCHA, are leading the response through epidemiological surveillance, treatment, water and sanitation interventions, and public awareness campaigns. Between 10-17 May, humanitarian partners provided cholera prevention briefings to over 7,000 displaced people, distributed 2,000 water purification tablets, disinfected hundreds of homes, and installed 30 handwashing stations across 12 displacement sites. Insecurity continues to limit access, and low funding is threatening prevention and treatment activities.

COLOMBIA: RAINY SEASON

Flooding, landslides and other rain-related events have now affected more than 21,200 people in the north-western department of Antioquia during Colombia’s current rainy season, impacting at least 31 of the department’s 125 municipalities. The affected population includes an estimated 455 refugees and migrants. Ongoing conflict dynamics are compouding impacts in some municipalities. In the municipalities of Anorí and Valdivia, at least 401 people have been displaced, and an additional 207 households currently face confinement. The presence of antipersonnel mines (APM) and unexploded ordnance (UXO) in some areas is exacerbating protection risks and deepening vulnerabilities for already at-risk communities.