On October 29 Hurricane Mitch, a category 5 storm, was stationary in the Caribbean coast of Honduras, in between the Department of Atlantida and the Bay Islands. Two days later the hurricane began its journey inland through Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala. In Guatemala, both major highways to the Atlantic and Pacific coasts were flooded, and bridges were damaged. The northeast region, formed by the departments (states) of Chiquimula, El Progreso, Izabal, and Zacapa, was the most heavily damaged by the storm. Over 40,000 people were directly affected. As quickly as data was available, Progress, in cooperation with the Regional Mapping Center, produced georeferenced maps to precisely identify geographical areas needing immediate attention, providing information in terms of people needing rescue and temporary shelter, roads and bridges with damage, reconstruction including housing, shelter, assistance to subsistence farmers, seeds, drinkable water, and food.