Guatemala News

Guatemala City. The latest official numbers provided by President Otto Pérez are: 52 deaths, 150 injured, 22 missing, over 1, 200,000 people affected and 2,340 houses damaged. The numbers are still expected to rise.

The President declares state of calamity in the most affected departments: San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Quiche and Huehuetenango for at least 30 days. He also declared 3 days of national mourning. President Otto Pérez provided the latest official statistics at a Press Conference at CONRED, (Network of Emergency and Disaster Organization of Guatemala) in Guatemala City at 9: 55 am- 10:30 am.

Shelters

Latest reports indicate that 760 people are in 10 temporary shelters. However many people refuse to got to the shelters because they are guarding their possessions in the damaged homes in San Marcos and Quetzaltenango.

Emergency Supplies

44 tons of humanitarian supplies have been transported to the affected departments. 60 million dollars are available now to respond to the emergencies according to the Finance Ministry of Guatemala.

Private initiatives to help the victims

The private airplane club “Aeroclub”, radio stations and other private initiatives are collecting non perishable food and blankets for the victims. The collection center is currently in 3 hangars of the national airport. The local press is publishing more aid collection sites.

It is very cold in the affected departments, blankets, water and non perishable food will be needed to help the affected population.

Many governments have expressed their willingness to help in the immediate emergency situation and the reconstruction efforts

Hospital of San Marcos 

The National Hospital of San Marcos has attended over 227 injured people yesterday, 2 patients had to be transferred to the national Hospital of Quetzaltenango for specialized attention.

The hospital had been working with only one emergency generator, reports of local sources had pointed out that more medical staff, medicines and medical supplies are needed. Immediately after the victims started to arrive at the hospital yesterday the situation was chaotic. The Minister of Health, Jorge Villavicencio has send out 2 trucks with medical supplies to increase resources for the hospital.