Last week, the team of ActionAid International Guatemala and its partner, Save the Children Guatemala, visited the area of Tacaná, located 400 Km from capital city, finding a very difficult access to the place due to the landslides in the main roads. To get to the municipality of Tacaná normally takes 9 hours, but in current conditions it is taking 17 hours.

ActionAid team expressed solidarity to Tacaná people as well as to the partner organization, evaluated the situation, accompanied field visits to the affected areas to check the situation, advised to the partner in the actions to attend the emergency. The main damages found were: crops lost (corn, bean, potatoes, wheat, and oat to feed animals); poultry lost; destruction of drinking water systems; psychological harm in 6,700 damaged people; 941 houses destroyed; 723 houses in risk; 46 missing people; 48 human lost; 5954 evacuated people; 2,500 acres of cropping land devastated; 27 schools damaged; 129 roads totally destroyed including walking roads. It will take one year approximately to get a new production in the area, at this moment food security is priority. Human and material losses increase as the access is open in affected communities.

The problem get worst considering that Tacaná people during this time of the year migrates to Mexico for working in farms, to get additional money. However, the way to Mexican border is totally inaccessible, this year families will not count with that income.

Authorities installed a shelter in the Municipality, mainly for affected people of Cuá community, where the landslide left 25 human lost and 27 missing people. Solidarity among neighbors is important, as they are helping each other to temporarily cover feeding and housing of the people who lost everything due to the storm.

ActionAid contributed with 100,000 pounds of food (corn, beans, hot drinks, etc) to be distributed in 35 communities where partner organization works, plus 10 communities which are not part of the Development Area but also were damaged. At the same time, Save the Children Guatemala, obtained the support of other organizations to get more food and to quantify the damages.

ActionAid is increasing the support, more than food, medicine and clothes, it will support in reestablishing drinking water systems, recovering productive capacity of the families, and the strength of community organization. At the moment the support amount is Q.700,000 (£50,000) and is looking for more funds to attend the urgent needs of the emergency caused by “Stan” Storm.

Food Security is priority at this point, that is why ActionAid and Save the Children Guatemala are working in the area assisting more than 6,700 damaged people.