Days of heavy rain cause deadly floods and landslides in Guatemala
Heavy downpours over the weekend triggered floods and landslides in Guatemala, killing at least three people and causing buildings to collapse. The victims were said to be the first casualties of the rainy season in the country, which lasts from May to November.
On May 9, 2020, a landslide occurred on a highway in the municipality of Tajumulco in the San Marcos Department. According to the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), one person died in the incident.
Days later, on May 11, two more people lost their lives after a wall collapsed due to heavy rain in Zacapa, the same department.
The rainy season in Guatemala usually starts in May and ends in November, but showers have been hitting the southern region since late April.
As of May 11, around 16 000 people had been affected by 19 disasters caused by severe weather. About 50 houses have been partially or totally damaged, and 44 people displaced.
In the municipality of San Lorenzo in the Suchitepequez Department, 15 homes were damaged due to strong winds and heavy rain. 15 more houses were damaged in Livingston, Izabal Department.
Another landslide was reported in Santa Catalina la Tinta in the department of Alta Verapaz, affecting several residential areas.
ALTA VERAPAZ. La saturación de agua en el suelo ocasionó un deslizamiento en el caserío Palestina Carabajal, La Tinta, Alta Verapaz. La Coordinadora Local para la Reducción de Desastres -COLRED- y la Municipalidad brindaron respuesta al incidente. pic.twitter.com/sKomJxPRJY
— CONRED (@ConredGuatemala) May 11, 2020
SUCHITEPÉQUEZ. Las lluvias y fuertes vientos causan daños en techos de 15 viviendas de la aldea Valle Candelaria, San Lorenzo, Suchitepéquez. Instituciones que integran el Sistema CONRED realizan la Evaluación de Daños y Análisis de Necesidades -EDAN-. pic.twitter.com/zjF5v0kSiA
— CONRED (@ConredGuatemala) May 12, 2020
Caserio El Canal, Aldea La Fragua, Zacapa, dos menores fallecida y una persona herida al quedar soterradas,@CBMDEPTAL coordina a elementos de la Policía Nacional Civil y Ministerio y se traslada al Heriso al Hospital Regional de Zacapa. pic.twitter.com/foU7zOxu0x
— BDepartamentales (@CBMDEPTAL) May 10, 2020
La @CONRED informó que la fuerte lluvia y vientos del domingo en la tarde afectaron especialmente al sur del departamento de Guatemala, en los municipios de San Miguel Petapa y Villa Nueva. Vía: @kmarroquin_eu pic.twitter.com/Ex9PhNnMaD
— Emisoras Unidas (@EmisorasUnidas) May 11, 2020
ZACAPA:
En horas de la mañana se registró el colapso de una pared de block, en el caserío El Canal, Aldea La Fragua, cuerpos de socorro trabajaron en el área para el rescate de los afectados que fueron trasladados al hospital Regional de Zacapa.
Fuente: Carlos Godoy. pic.twitter.com/5FGMgQlHG1— CONRED (@ConredGuatemala) May 10, 2020
Featured image credit: CONRED
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.