IDEX’s Guatemalan partners –AFEDES, APROSADSE, and ISMU—have all reported serious damage and some deaths in their areas in the wake of Tropical Storm Agatha. The storm, which made landfall on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala on May 29, dumped more than 400 mm of rain in a short period of time and the areas where IDEX’s Guatemalan partners work were among the hardest hit in the country.

They are organizing to collect and distribute supplies and are asking the international community to rally in support of rebuilding the lives and communities that have been devastated by the storm.

The storm followed the eruption of the Pacaya Volcano a few days earlier. In Guatemala alone, the death toll from the two natural disasters is reaching in the hundreds. Tens of thousands more people have been displaced from their homes or are without food and water, and even more severe food shortages are expected in the coming months.

Reports on the ground from IDEX partners tell us of widespread damage. Ten APROSADSE families in the community of la Vega de Godínez lost everything after the Motagua River flooded and destroyed bridges and roads. 35 families fled from their homes located at the bottom of a
hill that is collapsing and destroying crops, and many other communities remain without reliable communication.

The storm also caused landslides in AFEDES communities in Sacatepequez, leaving many families homeless. A total of 362 ISMU families were affected in communities in and around Guatemala City. Chinautla in particular suffered major storm damage when a main bridge
collapsed and landslides and floods destroyed both houses and land. Most families there have been evacuated.

During this critical time, our local partners in Guatemala are well positioned to reach those families in need of immediate assistance. They are requesting support to assess the impact of this disaster in their communities and respond to emergency needs: staple foods (beans,
rice, sugar), basic necessities (soap, bedding, and clothing), and building materials to repair or rebuild homes.

Please donate to IDEX today, and support our partners recover from this disaster. Click on the Donate link in the right-hand column and state your donation is for Guatemala Emergency Relief in the notes.

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