Cabei grants funds for Otto relief to Nicaragua, Costa Rica

The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (Cabei) provided a US$500,000 grant to the governments of Nicaragua and Costa Rica to support Hurricane Otto relief efforts in both countries, the bank said in a statement,

Each country received US$250,000 from Cabei's emergency aid program, which the bank set with the purpose of addressing the needs of populations affected by natural disasters and health emergencies.

Hurricane Otto made landfall on November 24 on the southern extreme of Nicaragua's Mosquito Coast, about 20 miles north of the Costa Rica border. The storm made the southernmost landfall for a hurricane and strongest hurricane this late in the season in history for the Atlantic basin.

According to the Costa Rican government, Otto left 10 people dead and affected 461 communities in six of the country's seven provinces. It caused damage to road infrastructure, communication and power lines, and the excess rainfall also resulted in damage to agricultural land.

Even though the impact of the hurricane was less significant in Nicaragua, it also affected road infrastructure and damaged over 800 homes, 120 of which were left completely destroyed.