Death Toll Rises to 107 in Guatemala Mudslide

Guatemala City (PNA/Xinhua) — The number of people killed in the mudslide that swamped the Guatemalan village of El Cambray II Thursday night has risen to 107, the government announced Sunday.

While local rescue teams, joined by Mexican colleagues, continue to comb the rubble, their hopes of finding any survivor are rapidly dwindling. A senior official also stated Sunday that as many as 500 people were likely to have been buried.

A report from the Guatemalan Public Ministry said a temporary morgue, set up near the site, has received 107 bodies, of which, 96 have been identified by family members.

According to the country’s department of National Disaster Mitigation Coordination (Conred), around 125 homes were buried in the mudslide.

While addressing a news conference Sunday, Conred’s executive director, Alejandro Maldonado, feared that around 500 people were likely to have been killed and said the rescue efforts would go on “as long as needed.”

Guatemalan rescue efforts have been joined by a Mexican team, made up of personnel from the army, navy, and federal police. Sixteen rescue dogs have also been brought to the scene to help sniff out any survivors.

The rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rains Sunday afternoon. The rains are potentially threatening to cause further mudslides, which the rescue teams view as a risk, despite protection cordons having been erected. (PNA/Xinhua) JMC/EBP