First responders have reported that flooding, mudslides, and other infrastructure-related problems have made it difficult to reach many villages, especially in mountainous areas. In El Espinalillo, an isolated village in the rugged terrain near southern Guerrero’s coast, a bridge that connected the southern part of the town with the northern part was destroyed. The village also lost access to services including drinkable water, electricity, and communications, according to Dr. Giorgio Franyuti, Executive Director of Medical Impact.

The organization sends healthcare providers on medical missions into remote areas, including after disasters. In addition to challenges related to which villages need help due to the electricity and communications services outages, Franyuti said that getting to them has also been delayed due to weather and conditions on the ground.

“After several days of being disconnected from the world, people started to suffer from hunger and diseases from lack of drinkable water, sanitation, lack of food security… this grew into desperation. Some villagers left by swimming to alert authorities they were trapped there. That’s how I found out,” Franyuti said.

In response to Hurricane John, Direct Relief Mexico has supported Medical Impact with field medic packs, which are designed to meet a variety of medical needs outside of clinic walls A group of medical responders with the organization was able to travel to the impacted area via helicopter to support people with triage needs. Overall, Direct Relief Mexico sent 100 backpacks to the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense Search and Rescue team this year, and supported the health system in the region after Otis made landfall.

“No pilots were daring to make the flight until last Monday. It was a two-hour trip with heavy turbulence. The team was scared but they will not surrender, they were born for this, as heroes and champions climbing out of the aircraft with hundreds of vaccines, medical supplies, medicines, and other supplies to support impacted communities,” Franyuti said about the volunteers on his team.

Responders reported many people with open wounds, which they treated. In the days and weeks ahead, however, the threat will shift to diseases.

 Vaccines are important, Franyuti said, to combat the pathogen that causes tetanus, which can be easily acquired due to metal debris in floodwaters. He also noted the risk of increased incidences of diarrheal diseases, infectious diseases of the skin, and parasites that are common after events like Hurricane John.

As with the aftermath of Hurricane Otis, Franyuti also expects a spike in dengue fever.

Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm, hit the same region last year. It caused at least 50 deaths and billions in damages. Most of the region, including the city of Acapulco, had not recovered from that storm before John, a larger and wetter storm, made landfall.

“This was not like Otis. Otis was razor blades to houses, to infrastructure. This was no razor blade, this was drowning the communities. The threat was different,” Franyuti said.

Describing the scenes his team is seeing after John, Franyuti said, “Close your eyes and try to imagine, it’s like a knife cut through the jungle and between the mud and mountains of dirt you find small rivers crossing in between cracks that were not there 10 days ago.”

Additional field medic packs were sent to Guerrero’s Centro Regional de Urgencias Medicas (CRUM), Banco de Alimentos, and BREIM. Direct Relief Mexico continues to assess the situation and is working with local nonprofit partners as well as the federal and state governments to facilitate additional responses related to medicine, medical supplies, and resilient power solutions.

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Hurricane John: Immediate Response in Mexico

Late Monday night, Hurricane John made landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast, bringing devastating winds of 120 mph and torrential rainfall to the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. The Category 3 storm brought heavy rainfall, mudslides, and triggered warnings of life-threatening floods. Coastal cities like Acapulco and Puerto Escondido suffered damage to homes and infrastructure. Two casualties have been reported following a landslide in Guerrero.

Direct Relief has prepositioned emergency medical supplies, including antibiotics, chronic disease medications, and hygiene kits to support local healthcare providers. These supplies will focus on reaching the most vulnerable populations, including those in remote, isolated areas where access to care is critical.

“Our teams are in contact with our network of healthcare providers on the ground to ensure life-saving medical assistance reaches those in need,” said Eddie Mendoza, Direct Relief’s Mexico Country Director. “As damages and needs are assessed, Direct Relief will respond with the rapid deployment of any additional specifically requested medicines and medical aid to the region.”

Hurricane Helene: Florida Braces for Impact

As Direct Relief continues its response in Mexico, Hurricane Helene, currently a Category 3 storm, is tracking toward Florida’s Gulf Coast. Expected to make landfall within the next 48 hours, Helene threatens millions with destructive winds, heavy rains, and dangerous storm surges. Evacuation orders have already been issued for vulnerable coastal areas, and local authorities are urging residents to prepare for potential flooding, power outages, and infrastructure damage.

Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program

In preparation for hurricanes and tropical storms each year, Direct Relief distributes and monitors caches of medications and supplies, called hurricane preparedness packs, throughout the Gulf Coast and other vulnerable areas. The packs contain medical essentials, including chronic disease medications, wound care supplies, and other items commonly requested after storms for patient care.

“Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program allows healthcare providers to respond quickly when disasters strike,” said Annie Vu, Associate Director of U.S. Emergency Response for Direct Relief. “By pre-positioning medical supplies, critical resources are available immediately, where and when they are needed most.”

Coordinated Efforts for Dual Crises

As Hurricane John recovery efforts continue in Mexico and Hurricane Helene threatens the U.S., Direct Relief is operating on multiple fronts to address the distinct challenges each storm presents. In Mexico, the focus remains on providing immediate relief and preventing public health crises such as outbreaks of waterborne diseases. In Florida, the organization is working with local partners to prepare for Helene’s potential impact by ensuring healthcare facilities are equipped to handle the surge in patients and possible infrastructure damage, including loss of power.

Direct Relief will continue to provide updates as the situation develops and more information becomes available. The organization remains committed to supporting the affected communities through every phase of the response and recovery process, ensuring that life-saving medical aid is available.

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