Guatemala: Death Toll Rises to 650 As Rescuers Dig for Corpses

The death toll in Guatemala following hurricane-related rains rose to 652 yesterday with the discovery of more than 130 bodies.
The death toll in Guatemala following hurricane-related rains rose to 652 yesterday with the discovery of more than 130 bodies.

There were 384 people missing, and mudflows remained dangerously unstable. Another 126 people were killed in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico after a week of heavy rains.

Guatemala's Indian communities, exhausted by digging for victims buried in mudslides and worried about disease from the decomposing corpses, are struggling to accept they must abandon burial rites and declare whole communities as graveyards.


By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian Newspapers 2008
Published: 10/10/2005
 
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Your Comments:
Your Name:
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
Recipient Email Address:
 Separate multiple email addresses by ;
Your Name:
Your Email Address: