Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador were battered by a tropical storm over the weekend. The storm caused at least 115 deaths. This comes on the wake of a volcano eruption that spewed ash over the city. As residents recovered a sinkhole interrupted traffic in Ciudad de Gatemala as well.
CNN reports, "Guatemala was hit hardest, with at least 92 deaths, 54 people missing and 59 injured, emergency officials said. Nearly 112,000 people have been evacuated and more than 29,000 areliving in temporary shelters, Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said in an address to the nation late Sunday."
"Nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes and nearly 3,300 are living in shelters, the Honduran emergency agency said Monday. More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged, the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported."
The Mercury News reports that Bay Area Residents volunteering in Guatemala were also stranded temporarily due to the storm and the Volcano. "The group, which includes residents of Saratoga, San Jose, Campbell, South San Francisco and Larkspur, among other California cities, was supposed to fly home Friday, said Heather Merriam, executive director of Rotaplast International. But on Thursday, a volcanic eruption south of Guatemala City spewed ash on the city and forced the airport there to close."
"Then Friday, Tropical Storm Agatha began dumping rain on the country, and has since resulted in at least 118 deaths in Guatemala, 15 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador, according to the Associated Press. Thousands have been left homeless after evacuating to avoid mudslides."
In related news, a deep sinkhole swallowed an intersection in Guatemala today.
Comments