As Central America and Mexico brace for Hurricane Felix, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone for their personal safety and the protection of their property.

Thousands of people in Honduras and Nicaragua were ordered to leave as Felix approached and told to seek higher ground further away from the storm’s path. Residents and tourists on the islands of Roatan and Guanaja—popular dive destinations—were evacuated by boat and plane in anticipation of both catastrophic winds and flooding.

According to the New York Times, some of the most vulnerable people in the hurricane’s path are the Miskito Indians along the remote Nicaraguan-Honduran border. Primarily living in small wooden houses, the Miskito’s are facing Felix at its worst, with little means to protect themselves.

Throughout Central America, Hurricane Felix brings to mind horrific memories of 1998, when Hurricane Mitch, also a Category 5, left a swath of destruction in much of the same area, killing between 9000 and 11,000 people and leaving as many more missing and presumed dead. The flooding and mudslides that followed Mitch destroyed some villages in entirety, leaving no one alive in its path.

As always, we will try to keep you apprised of property damage as it relates to timeshare owners and others with interests in timeshare resorts.

While the popular timeshare vacation destinations in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao were under a hurricane watch as Felix passed over them Labor Day weekend, neither Curacao nor Bonaire reported serious damages according to the Cayman Net News. There was however, street flooding and downed trees in Curacao. Despite its massive force, hurricane force winds extended only 15 miles and tropical winds only 115 miles as Felix passed over the southern Caribbean, meaning that both Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles experienced only gusty conditions.

Bonaire’s Lt. Governor, Herbert Domacasse said, “The local population and visitors remained in their homes and hotels overnight. No calls were received on the emergency line set up in preparation for the storm.” With many areas still recovering from Hurricane Dean, thousands of people need your help. Give your donations through a charity you trust.

The Council of Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance maintains guidelines to help you identify reputable charities. Other considerations are the American Red Cross, and the International Red Cross.