Hurricane Erick

We are on the ground distributing aid kits and conducting assessments on the coast of Oaxaca, where we’ve connected with the local communities near Pinotepa Nacional who’ve been heavily impacted by Hurricane Erick. Some have reported that this is the worst storm they’ve ever experienced, and many still do not have access to basic shelter and resources such as food and water.

We spoke with Claudina, the secretary of the community’s police station, who shared some of the challenges the community is facing in the immediate aftermath of the storm. She expressed her appreciation for direct action on the ground, saying, “I feel very good seeing [AHAH] all take the time. When I see you, I get emotional, because I tell myself that help has arrived.”

All Hands and Hearts is concentrating our response in Oaxaca, where Pinotepa Nacional and surrounding communities have reported significant storm damage. Our team is on the ground in Puerto Escondido, conducting assessments with local authorities and distributing emergency kits with water and non-perishables. We’re expanding our team and expect to begin working directly in affected areas by Wednesday. This focused approach allows us to avoid heightened security risks in Guerrero while still reaching impacted communities.

We are on the ground, seeing severe damage in communities across Oaxaca and Guerrero. Flooding, landslides, and collapsed infrastructure have impacted homes, schools, roads, and businesses. In El Ranchito (Pinotepa Nacional), families are without food, water, electricity, or shelter—urgent needs include hygiene items, clean clothing, and basic medicines. Our teams are monitoring conditions and traveling to respond in the most impacted areas in Oaxaca as access improves and safety allows.

All Hands and Hearts is on the ground in Mexico, where the coastal regions of Oaxaca and Guerrero were hardest hit. Landslides and debris continue to block roads, limiting access to communities in need. We are learning that Afro-Mexican communities along the Oaxaca coast have been significantly impacted. Isidro Ramírez López, leader of the Organization for the Social and Productive Development of Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Descendant Communities (SOCPINDA), called Hurricane Erick the most devastating storm these communities have faced, adding that “nine out of ten families were affected by Hurricane Erick’s strong winds. The truth is, no one escaped the effects.”

Hurricane Erick made landfall early Thursday near Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, along the coast of Oaxaca and Guerrero, as a Category 3 storm. The storm struck low-populated areas and parts of a national park, helping to limit the immediate human impact. While initial damage appears moderate for a storm of this strength, surrounding rural communities have been hit hard by flooding, blocked roads and infrastructure damage. Ongoing heavy rains continue to threaten these regions, with landslides a growing concern in mountainous areas.

Our DART is ready to deploy as soon as conditions allow, with safety and access under close review.

Hurricane Erick made landfall early Thursday in Oaxaca, Mexico, as a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 125 mph (205 kph). Though slightly downgraded from Category 4, Erick remains a major hurricane with the potential for severe damage. The storm threatens low-lying communities near Acapulco and Puerto Escondido with flooding, rain and destructive wind, still bearing the scars from the devastating Hurricane Otis in October 2023.

Our team in Mexico is mobilizing quickly to arrive in impacted areas as soon as it is safe to do so.

All Hands and Hearts is mobilizing in response to Hurricane Erick. Now a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h), Erick is barreling toward Mexico’s southern Pacific coast, with the potential for catastrophic winds, life-threatening flooding and dangerous mudslides.

Our team in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, has evacuated safely and is standing by, fully prepared to deploy as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Tropical Storm Erick rapidly intensified into a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday evening, becoming the first hurricane to make landfall in Mexico this season. With sustained winds of 121 mph (195 kph), Erick is expected to bring destructive winds, life-threatening flash floods, and up to 16 inches (41 cm) of rain to Oaxaca and Guerrero.

Currently off the coast near Puerto Angel, Erick is forecast to make landfall early Thursday, where people in the storm’s path are advised to listen to official communications and find shelter if located in low-lying areas near waterways.