Guatemala City, June 3 (IANS/EFE) The death toll from tropical storm Agatha’s passage over Central America has reached 184, with all but 28 of the deaths registered in Guatemala.
In its latest bulletin, issued Wednesday, Guatemala’s Conred emergency management office said casualties stood at 156 dead, 87 injured and 90 missing.
The official report also notes that 135,394 people were evacuated, including 36,149 who are being housed in more than 300 shelters. Besides, 24,472 homes were damaged and another 5,872 were declared ‘high-risk’ structures in danger of collapse.
President Alvaro Colom, who flew over the zones affected by the storm, said all 22 of Guatemala’s provinces have been damaged.
However, he said that the regions with the greatest percentage of damage are the communities located in the basins along the southern coast, as well as Greater Guatemala City.
Conred is on high alert with the aim of continuing to deliver humanitarian aid to the thousands of affected people.
The foreign ministry announced in a communique that Colom requested aid and humanitarian assistance from the international community Tuesday to accelerate the recovery of the communities affected by Agatha.
Guatemalan businessmen said Tuesday that the economic losses caused by the storm will be ‘in the millions’ because practically all sectors of the country and economy were affected.
At least 18 people died in Honduras in storm-related incidents, and Agatha also left serious damage to agriculture and infrastructure, officials said Wednesday.
El Salvador reported 10 deaths associated with Agatha.
