The tropical storm „Eta“ killed more than 50 people in Guatemala. This is the number given by President Alejandro Giammattei yesterday. The storm caused severe flooding and landslides in the Central American country. Areas in the north of the country inhabited by indigenous peoples were particularly hard hit.
According to Giammattei, at least 25 houses were buried by the earth in one municipality in the northern Alta Verapaz department alone. Access to this area by land is currently impossible because the roads have been destroyed by the storm.
Heavy rains
„Eta“ also raged in other Central American countries. In total, more than 63 people were killed. The storm killed five people in Panama, four in Honduras, and two each in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
“Eta” had reached the Central American mainland as a hurricane, but then weakened to a tropical storm. The storm continued to bring heavy rainfall. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that the storm could regain its strength if it reached the warm waters of the Caribbean.
