LANDSLIDE TRAGEDY IN GUATEMALA 2010 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA

A National Tragedy 80 km from Tecpan, the Capital September 4-5, 2010 MASSIVE LANDSLIDES AFTER A PERIOD OF INTENSIVE RAINFALL BURY A BUS THEN OVER 100 RESCUE WORKERS IN GUATEMALA A National Tragedy 80 km from Tecpan, the Capital September 4-5, 2010

Several landslides had occurred along the Nation’s highways during the last year, and authorities knew of the danger, but did nothing; NOW, at least 58 are dead.

Massive landslides were triggered in Guatemala following constant rain from Tropical Depression 11 E in that left the hillsides in the region saturated with water.

More than 30 separate landslides cut the Inter-American Highway, one of Guatemala's main roads, within a single 30-mile (50-km) stretch.

A LANDSLIDE ON THE INTER-AMERICAN HIGHWAY

LANDSLIDE NEAR NAHUALA

TRAGEDY STRUCK: Approximately 100 people were attempting to dig a bus out of a mudslide on Saturday, September 4th when a second landslide engulfed them on Sunday.

BUS BURIED BY LANDSLIDE: SEPTEMBER 4

EXCAVATING THE BUS

RESCUE WORKERS BURIED IN SECOND LANDSLIDE: SEPT 5

INTENSIVE SEARCH AND RECUE OPERATIONS

Recovery efforts had to be abandoned when heavy rain struck the region again, sending people fleeing from the rain-saturated hillsides

Over 12,000 were evacuated to temporary shelters.

To prevent further landslide tragedies, the President ordered the Inter-American Highway closed and urged people to stay of the roads.