The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has issued an Executive Decree declaring a state of environmental emergency in the Lake Coatepeque basin area, with a duration of 12 months starting on Friday, April 5, 2024.
As detailed in the decree, during the months of March and April of this year, a worrying proliferation of cyanobacteria of the Limnoraphis genus has been observed in the area.
These cyanobacteria are causing serious damage to the lake’s ecosystems and represent a latent danger to the health of the population.
The Ministry has warned about the possibility of a “possible environmental disaster in the aforementioned area” and has taken this measure with the purpose of adopting assistance measures, mobilizing human and financial resources to support the affected populations and mitigate the deterioration in the zone.
Among the measures included in the declaration of a state of environmental emergency are:
– Clean cyanobacteria in the water and beaches
– Acquire equipment and build water treatment systems
– Address the health of the population in the surrounding communities
– Carry out lake characterization studies
– Continue with awareness campaigns
– Continue with water quality monitoring and carry out studies to specify sanitation and recovery actions
– Promote comprehensive processes of habit changes related to the existing planting and fishing culture in the area
The Minister of the Environment, Fernando López, has called a press conference for Monday, April 8, to provide more details about this environmental emergency measure and the actions to follow.