Guatemala – Floods and Landslides Affect Thousands

by in Americas, News

Guatemala‘s National Coordinator for the Reduction of Disasters (CONRED), reports that heavy rain, flash floods and landslides have affected thousands across the country since late September.

Landslide in San Marcos Guatemala, September 2019. Photo: CONRED

CONRED reported on 27 September that heavy rains in Baja Verapaz, Santa Rosa, Quetzaltenango and San Marcos departments had caused flooding and landslides affecting around 5,000 people.

Highways were damaged or blocked in Baja Verapaz, Santa Rosa and Quetzaltenango, delaying the passage of thousands of vehicles. A school building was damaged in Comitancillo, San Marcos. Several houses were damaged by a landslide in Jumaytepeque, Nueva Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, where army personnel have been deployed to carry out repair and clean-up operations. Dozens of homes were also damaged in Taxisco, Santa Rosa.

As of 30 September CONRED reported that areas in the departments of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, Quiché, Sacatepequez and Solola were also affected.

Houses were severely damaged and 1 person died in a landslide in Villa Nueva, Guatemala. Landslides also blocked roads in Quiché and Sololá causing major traffic delays. Homes were damaged after flash floods in San Juan Chamelco in Alta Verapaz and San Juan Gascon in Sacatepequez.

CONRED later added that around 100 people were affected by flooding in the municipality of Las Cruces, Petén, where around 14 homes were damaged.

Rainy Season

The government in Guatemala reported on 30 September that emergency authorities had attended 230 incidents caused by the current rainy season that has affected 746,665 people so far. Six people have died, 6 injured and 1 is missing.

CONRED figures revealed that 1,261 people lost their homes while 2,652 had to be evacuated.

Figures for the current rainy season in Guatemala, September 2019. Image / figures: CONRED
Rainfall totals for Guatemala in September 2019. Image: INSIVUMEH

 

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