Volcanic Eruption and Tropical Storm in Guatemala
Guatemala has been hit with a double whammy in the past few days: a volcano has erupted, and a tropical storm has hit the southern coast. These two natural disasters have devastated Guatemala, killing hundreds of people and forcing the relocation of thousands more.
- The Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala’s southern department of Escuintla started to erupt on May 27. A popular tourist attraction, the active volcano has erupted twenty-three times since the 1500s. The eruption has been followed by several minor tremors, further worsening the situation. Eight centimeters of ash fell on the capital, Guatemala City.
- Tropical Storm Agatha, the first tropical storm of the Pacific hurricane season, made landfall two days after the eruption. The heavy rainfall from the cyclone caused devastating landslides, lahars (a mudflow with volcanic material), and a terrifyingly large sinkhole also in Guatemala City.
Both of the catastrophic natural disasters have worked together to cause destruction to Guatemala. Bridges have collapsed and roads have closed. There is concern that the storm drainage system will be blocked by the volcanic ash, making them useless. The mountainous terrain has made it difficult to rescue the citizens. Aid is on the way, however; the United States, Mexico, and Taiwan will provide aid once the floods subside and the airport opens.
Read on:
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=3097628
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/latin_america/10186112.stm
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