In a devastating turn of events, at least 18 people, including ten children, have been reported missing after heavy rains caused a sewage-polluted river to surge and sweep away fragile homes in the Guatemalan capital. The tragic incident unfolded on Monday, leaving a community in Guatemala City in shock and mourning.
The catastrophe occurred when a tributary of the Las Vacas river surged, engulfing six homes in an informal settlement located under a bridge in the heart of Guatemala City. Rodolfo Garcia, spokesperson for the Conred disaster relief agency, provided details, stating that despite a municipal ban, hundreds of indigent people had established homes primarily constructed from zinc sheets along the banks of the tributary, which contained residential wastewater from the capital’s sewage system.
Following the heavy rains on Sunday, torrents of water carrying stones, soil, and human waste inundated the settlement, leaving nothing but debris behind, as observed by an AFP reporter on the scene.
Conred immediately initiated a search and rescue operation for the missing individuals and began assessing the needs of the affected community. The situation remains tense as families anxiously await news of their loved ones.
Esau Gonzalez, a 42-year-old casual worker and resident of the devastated community, recounted the harrowing experience, saying, “the river… took homes, neighbours’ belongings. Neighbour’s disappeared.” He emphasised that the people in the settlement had nowhere else to go, highlighting the dire circumstances that forced them to live in such precarious conditions.
Marvin Cabrera, a 36-year-old motorcycle food delivery agent, echoed Gonzalez’s sentiments, stating, “We knew the risk, (but) we are here out of necessity.” He tragically added, “The river took entire families.”
Guatemala faces a significant challenge regarding housing and poverty. Tens of thousands of the country’s 17.7 million inhabitants are dependent on fragile housing structures in often perilous environments. With a poverty rate of 59 percent, many families are forced to reside in unsafe areas due to a lack of alternatives.
The Guatemalan Chamber of Construction and the ANACOVI builders’ association estimate a housing deficit of about two million units in the country, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address housing and poverty issues.
