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In these disasters, 37 people had been confirmed dead, 23 missing and 30 injured, and some 42,000 people were affected, among whom over 10,000 had been evacuated, Conred reported on Sunday. The death toll rose to 54 later that day. "This weekend alone, we have seen damage comparable to what we experienced with Agatha," Colom said, referring to a tropical storm that hit the country in May, killing 165, displacing thousands, and causing losses amounting to 500 million US dollars. In response, the Guatemalan government has declared a state of public calamity, which allows the state, among other measures, to force evacuations. Meanwhile, emergency authorities have sent food and water to those staying in temporary shelters, and part of the Inter-American Highway has been closed to prevent similar tragedies. Meanwhile, at least 11 rivers in Guatemala have been rising, causing floods in different regions, the state meteorologic agency said Sunday. But flood peaks have not come yet as the heaviest rains are expected during September and October, said Eddy Sanchez, director of the National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology. This year has seen the whole Central America experiencing an unusually fierce rainy season, as accidents triggered by the recent spell of bad weather have killed more than 100 people in other countries in the region. |
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