Tropical storm Agatha and Volcano activity in Guatemala
The National Coordinator for disaster reduction (Conred), have officially reported 13 people died, 16 people lost, many towns without communication and more than 20,000 affected by the rain that marked record from Friday to Saturday with 490 mm pluvial precipitation.
More than 48 hours of intense rain in the country produced negative consequences being an addition to the volcano Pacaya activity started on Thursday night covering the city and close towns with ashes.
11 out of 22 departments of the country registered floods of rivers, bridges collapses, and landslides, roads blocked by landslides and subsidence and damage to homes.
Through the media the population has followed the impact and evolution of the atmospheric phenomenon that has left mourning and desolation among Guatemalans, remembering again the effects left in their wake of Hurricanes Mitch and Stan a few years ago.
Agatha was the first tropical storm of the season being more than 20 predicted and reached winds of 65 km / h, according to U.S. Hurricane Center (NHC).
The International Airport La Aurora, in Guatemala City, will keep closed for 5 more days while improving weather conditions for air navigation and is completely removed tons of volcanic sand covering the runway by the eruption of the volcano Pacaya, what has been more difficult due the hard rain.
Regarding to the Nazarene Churches in the country, We have received reports of the collapse of the roofs of some houses of families of to the church of San Miguel Petapa due to the accumulation of ash, sand and volcanic stones, as well the flooding of the church and the parsonage of the Port of San José, Escuintla, both churches in the central district. We don’t have reports from other districts even when the rain has been really hard and constant throughout the country.
Together with Tommy Mathews, W&W coordinator for MAC Centro we are trying to confirm the damages of the Churches’ buildings and pastoral houses but the road to the Pacific is closed so we haven’t being able to move to other places.
In zone 3 in the City, 500 meters from the First Church of the Nazarene a landslide occurred last night, leaving a house buried with three children of 9, 7 and 3 years old, and even when not sure we think those are children from our compassionate ministry. The scenes broadcast live on television last night were terrifying when crews removed debris and found the body of the three years old girl, pending still to find the remains of two other children.
Please, let’s keep praying for Guatemala.
By: Dr. René Rivas
NCM Coordinator for Guatemala Central District
Some pictures of conditions after Agatha and the Pacaya volcano activity