Volcanos and Tropical Storms Ravage Latin America
May was a hard month for Latin America. First there was the double-whammy of the Pacaya volcano in Guatemala, followed by the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador. Then Tropical Storm Agatha hit Central America. Early reports indicate that at least 106 people have lost their lives in the storm. Thompson Owens of Sweet Marias has been on a source trip through Guatemala and El Salvador and is tweeting the events:
New York Times has reported “scores dead in wake of storm”…
“There was a mudslide that wiped out homes, trees and everything in its path,” said a man who gave his name on local radio as Luis. “We have found 14 bodies, and we think there are another 8 to 10 beneath the mud.”
Nine people were killed in neighboring El Salvador and more than 8,000 were in shelters, President Mauricio Funes said.
One man in northern Honduras was killed when his home collapsed, and emergency officials warned of possible mudslides from saturated hills.
For some sense of the devastation, take a look at this giant sinkhole that opened up in the middle of Guatemala City:
Dang
