A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred at 21:51:09 UTC on 24 August 2020, 4.5 km (2.8 mi) S of Jacó, Costa Rica; 50.1 km (31.2 mi) SSE of Puntarenas, Costa Rica and 172.5 km (107.2 mi) SSE of San Carlos, Nicaragua. Estimates from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) located the epicentre of the event at 9.575°N, 84.631°W, and at a depth of 19.4 km (12 mi) – Figure 1. Nicaragua was the only CCRIF member country where peak ground acceleration, computed with the CCRIF SPHERA model, was greater than 0.01 g for this earthquake.

Nicaragua was under the influence of low pressure systems on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, namely Tropical Wave Thirty and Tropical Depression Fourteen, resulting in adverse weather conditions that occurred between August 21 and 24, 2020. During this period, Nicaragua was affected by heavy rains.

Haiti was under the influence of Tropical Storm Laura during on 23 August resulting in adverse weather conditions, primarily heavy rainfall that occurred between 23 and 25 August, 2020, mainly over the southern portion of the country but including other sections as well.

This event briefing describes the impact of rainfall on Haiti, which was associated with a Covered Area Rainfall Event (CARE), starting on 23 August and ending on 25 August 2020.

Tropical Cyclone Laura was the thirteenth tropical cyclone in the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the earliest twelfth named storm on record in the North Atlantic basin. On 21 August it was upgraded from a tropical depression to a tropical storm while it was over the tropical Atlantic, just to the east of the northern Leeward Islands. After the passage over the northern Leeward Islands, Tropical Storm Laura headed for the island of Hispaniola. On 23 August, its centre passed over Haiti, spreading tropical-storm-force winds over the country.

Tropical Cyclone Laura was the thirteenth tropical cyclone in the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the earliest twelfth named storm on record in the North Atlantic basin. On 21 August, it was upgraded from a tropical depression to a tropical storm while it was over the tropical Atlantic, just to the east of the northern Leeward Islands. On the same day, its centre passed between Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat and Saint Kitts and Nevis, spreading tropical-storm-force winds over these countries.

Jamaica was under the influence of Tropical Storm Laura resulting in adverse weather conditions that occurred between 23 August (2300UTC) and 24 August (0900UTC), 2020. During this period, Jamaica was affected by intense rainfall.

Antigua and Barbuda was under the influence of Tropical Storm Laura resulting in adverse weather conditions that occurred between 21 August (1700UTC) and 22 August (1500UTC), 2020. During this period, Antigua and Barbuda was affected by heavy rainfall.

Panama was under the influence of a monsoon trough and several tropical waves resulting in adverse weather conditions that occurred between 13 and 21 August, 2020. During this period, adverse weather prevailed over Panama generating heavy rains and high winds over a large area of the territory.