HIGHLIGHTS
- Potential flooding in the coming weeks during the rainy season could worsen the situation of the more than 1.7 million people affected.
- Action Against Hunger’s emergency water and sanitation (WASH) team has been mobilised to the Escuintla Department of Guatemala to assess the clean water, sanitation and hygiene needs of those affected by the volcanic eruption.
- Action Against Hunger is working in coordination with local authorities and CONRED, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction.
SITUATION OVERVIEW
The deadly volcanic eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano on Sunday 3rd June has caused the destruction of many nearby villages, with the official death toll now soaring to 70 people, and up to 200 more feared missing.
“THE ATMOSPHERE IS PRACTICALLY UNBREATHABLE. WITHIN TWO TO THREE DAYS, ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER AND BASIC SANITATION WILL BE A VITAL HUMANITARIAN NEED FOR MORE THAN 3,200 DISPLACED PEOPLE LIVING IN TEMPORARY SHELTERS PROVIDE BY THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES,” WARNS MIGUEL ÁNGEL GARCÍA, COUNTRY DIRECTOR OF ACTION AGAINST HUNGER IN CENTRAL AMERICA-GUATEMALA AND NICARAGUA.
An estimated 1.7 million people have been affected after ash columns from the catastrophic volcanic eruption reached more than 10,000 meters above sea level, and pyroclastic flows – fast-moving mixtures of very hot gas and volcanic matter such as ash or mud – descended through deep ravines into the communities living below.
Remote areas of the Department of Escuintla, where the volcanic eruption has hit hardest, are currently inaccessible to rescue teams due to the location and the danger posed by toxic gases, and there are growing fears for people that may have been trapped in this area.
“We are in full rainy season in Guatemala which can cause lahars – flows of ash and water that slide down from the slopes of the volcanoes,” explains García.
“The recent lava flows could generate large lahars that can still overflow into villages and hamlets that have not yet been affected in much of Escuintla. The number of disappeared could continue to grow.”
ACTION AGAINST HUNGER’S RESPONSE TO THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION
Following initial assessments with local authorities and the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Action Against Hunger’s emergency water and sanitation (WASH) team is ensuring access to clean water in the ten emergency shelters that have been set up.
The team will also proceed with the cleaning of wells and water systems and assess the impact of the disaster on the livelihoods of the population, as well as supporting immediate finanical needs via economic transfers.
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Photos: Accion contra el Hambre