Guatemala – 3 Dead After Heavy Rain Causes Landslides and Floods

by in Americas, News

Three people have died after days of heavy rainfall in Guatemala triggered flooding, landslides and caused buildings to collapse.

The country’s National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) said one person died on 09 May after rain triggered a landslide on a highway in the municipality of Tajumulco, San Marcos Department.

Two people died when heavy rain caused a wall to collapse in Zacapa in the department of the same name on 11 May.

Local media said these were the first casualties of the rainy season in Guatemala, which usually begins in May and lasts until November but has been present in the south of the country since late April.

According to CONRED, as of 11 May, 16,000 people had been affected by 19 incidents of severe weather since the start of the rainy season. Around 50 homes have been damage or destroyed and 44 people evacuated.

Fifteen homes were damaged after heavy rain and strong winds in San Lorenzo municipality, Suchitepéquez department. A landslide damaged homes in Santa Catalina la Tinta municipality in Alta Verapaz department.

Earlier CONRED reported flooding and rain-related incidents in the departments of Guatemala, Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango on 08 May. Flooding damaged 15 homes and a bridge in Livingston, Izabal Department, on 07 May.

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