Scarce food, no running water, army steps in as Honduran poor struggle through coronavirus lockdown

Record ID: 1465773

  • Title: Scarce food, no running water, army steps in as Honduran poor struggle through coronavirus lockdown
  • Date: 25th March 2020
  • Summary: TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS (MARCH 25, 2020) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS GATHERED TRUCK WITH FOOD AID ARRIVING VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS MOVING BAGS OF FOOD AID TO BACK OF PICK-UP TRUCK FOR DISTRIBUTION VEHICLES ARRIVING TO DISTRIBUTE AID VARIOUS OF LOCALS GATHERED TO RECEIVE AID SOLDIERS CARRYING BAGS OF AID SOLDIER TAKING BAG OF AID TO HOME LOCAL OPENING DOOR TO RECEIVE BAG OF AID FROM SOLDIERS LOCAL WITH BAG OF AID IN HOME LOCAL TAKING FLOUR FROM AID BAG (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, MARIO MONTOYA, SAYING: "In this area there is no water. We have to go out and buy water. This is an area where there is just one street, there is no food. If there was food, we wouldn't have the money to buy it." VARIOUS OF LOCALS TAKING WATER FROM BARRELS OF WATER THAT ARE PLACED IN DIRT STREET GIRL TAKING BUCKET OF WATER TO HER HOME SOLDIERS GATHERED WITH LOCALS SOLDIER TAKING BAG OF AID TO LOCAL INTERIOR OF LOCAL FAMILY HOME VARIOUS OF LOCAL MAKING TORTILLAS WITH FLOUR FROM FOOD AID (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, MARIA, SAYING: "I'm very sad about the situation. Imagine it, you can't go out to find anything, there is no transport, there is no money. We're in a bad way, but the President (Juan Orlando Hernandez) has remembered us and we give him thanks." SOLDIER HANDING OVER AID TO LOCAL HOME
  • Embargoed: 8th April 2020 23:38
  • Keywords: Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez Tegucigalpa army coronavirus food lockdown military pandemic quarantine soldiers
  • Location: TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS
  • City: TEGUCIGALPA, HONDURAS
  • Country: Honduras
  • Reuters ID: LVA001C6JYKP3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Honduran soldiers were deployed on Wednesday (March 25) to distribute food aid to vulnerable families across the country, as citizens in one of the poorest countries in the Americas struggle with lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus.
    According to officials, the food aid will go out to millions of families who cannot go out to work because of quarantine measures. Many of the recipients live on the outskirts of the capital, where homes have no running water.
    Before the pandemic, official reports put 62% of Honduras population as living in poverty. Authorities now fear the virus has exacerbated already difficult living situations for millions.
    The packs of food contain staples such as beans, rice and flour amongst other goods.
    On March 15, the Honduran government put into place lockdown measures to stem the tide of coronavirus cases. Schools were shut, public transport stopped and the country's borders were closed.
    According to the Honduran government, there have been 36 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far.
    (Production: Marvin Valladares, Manuel Carrillo, Paul Vieira)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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