Impacts: 1
The Guatemalan authorities reported this Friday (10/02/2015) that heavy rains caused a landslide in the southeast of the country that left at least five dead, several missing and injured.
The disaster occurred around 9:30 p.m. (03:30 GMT) on Thursday in the El Cambray II neighborhood of the municipality of Santa Catarina Pinula, about 22 kilometers from the capital, Civil Protection sources explained.
A representative of the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), Sergio Cabañas, told journalists that several homes were buried by the landslide and that a search was ordered for an unspecified number of missing people.
At least five dead after landslide in Guatemala
10/02/2015 October 2, 2015
A landslide in southeastern Guatemala buried at least 70 homes. It is feared that between 200 and 300 people could be buried under the earth masses.
The Guatemalan authorities reported this Friday (10/02/2015) that heavy rains caused a landslide in the southeast of the country that left at least five dead, several missing and injured.
The disaster occurred around 9:30 p.m. (03:30 GMT) on Thursday in the El Cambray II neighborhood of the municipality of Santa Catarina Pinula, about 22 kilometers from the capital, Civil Protection sources explained.
A representative of the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), Sergio Cabañas, told journalists that several homes were buried by the landslide and that a search was ordered for an unspecified number of missing people.
In this regard, a spokesperson for the Municipal Firefighters, Raúl Hernández, explained to a television news program that there is talk of at least 200 people buried. This information has not been confirmed by Conred. “We found a mountain of earth on top of the houses,” added Hernández and confirmed that they have rescued the bodies of five people so far, including those of a child.
According to the Volunteer Firefighters, 50 people were evacuated. Likewise, several have been rescued alive.
Rescuers estimate that at least 70 homes are buried under the earth masses, so emergency crews are on the scene to evacuate the victims and search for the injured and missing. The municipality of Santa Catarina Pinula set up a shelter for those affected.