Update on casualties and damage in Guatemala from PRENSA LIBRE of October 11 and 12 provided some information on the extent of the damage country-wide as of last week:
657 muertos (people dead - note that these figures include 169 people
killed in the total destruction of the Santiago Atitlan village of
Panabaj through a mudslide).
99 heridos (people hurt)
577 desaparecidos (disappeared)
200,000 personas afectadas (people affected)
120,000 personas están albergadas (in temporary shelters)
5,352 casas afectadas (houses damaged)
1,478 viviendas destruidas (houses destroyed)
515 comunidades afectadas (communities affected)
316 planteles educativos afectados (educational facilties affected)
One of our professors (email in full below) is very familiar with this region, testifying: "Having seen the grinding poverty of the Maya in Guatemala, I can assure you that there is a very real need and anything will help."
online donations: PRO LAGO GUATEMALAN RELIEF or by mail:
