On
May 23, 2006, the national coordination unit for reduction of disasters
in Guatemala, CONRED, declared an orange alert following heavy rains
which provoked landslides, affecting communities already hit by the
tropical storm Stan in 2005. On May 30 and 31, the ACT Guatemala Forum
organized a workshop involving about 50 persons from the partner organizations
to revise the emergency scenarios and contingency plans, based on
the information received from their regional liaison and partners
from LACE52 working in the high risk areas.
On
June 2, a flow of mud and stones hit Panabaj and Tzanchaj again. Tzanchaj
is the area where the population from Panabaj was relocated after
a landslide buried Panabaj last year, leaving more than 600 people
dead. CONRED has declared a red alert for these communities, warning
about possible bigger landslides. Although the extent of the damages
caused by the new landslide are not known at the moment, a total of
850 persons from Panabaj have been sheltered in schools, health centers
and private houses in the urban areas of Santiago Atitlan .
ACT
Guatemala forum partners working in the area, ADECCAP (Panabaj Community
Development Organization), ECAP (Community Studies and Psychosocial
Action Team) and FGT (Guillermo Toriello Foundation), participated
in the evacuation and relocation of the population. ADECCAP is supporting
the community’s request to the local or national government to relocate
them in the area of Chequimuc, which is considered a safe area.
CONRED
and the municipality distributed food and mattresses and Save the
Children provided hygiene items. A delegation from the ACT Guatemala
Forum arrived in Panabaj early Monday morning with relief items requested
by ADECCAP, including blankets, boots, ropes, torches and a more hygiene
kits. They are using some remaining relief items from ACT LACE52 appeal.
They report that they are monitoring the area, preparing an evacuation
plan if landslides make it necessary, assessing available resources
to support the community and establishing coordination mechanisms
with the local authorities and organizations.
On
October 31, 2005, ACT appeal LACE52 was issued to respond to the flooding
and mudslides caused by the Tropical Storm Stan in Guatemala. The
areas hit by the storm are populated mostly by indigenous people living
in extreme poverty. The completion date of the appeal is December
31, 2006 and so far, 70% of the appeal target has been covered.
The
members of the ACT Guatemala Forum are Christian Aid (CAID), Danchurchaid
(DCA), Guatemalan Evangelical Churches Conference (CIEDEG), Lutheran
World Federation (LWF), Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Swiss Protestant
Churches Aid (HEKS).
ACT
members in Central America are very concerned about the hurricane
season that is starting in the region as the forecast is similar to
last year. The ACT fora in the different countries are working on
contingency plans to be prepared to support the communities that are
highly vulnerable after so many successive disasters.
