Hundreds Dead in Guatemala Landslides

Posted on Sep 5, 2010

Al-Jazeera English

Weeks of heavy rains have created havoc in cities and towns throughout Guatemala.

Weeks of unrelenting rains triggered a series of landslides in the Guatemalan town of Alaska on the Pan-American Highway, burying as many as 300 people. President Alvaro Colom warned that thousands more people are at risk as the government runs out of money to deal with the crisis. —JCL

Al-Jazeera English:

An overnight landslide caused by flooding may have buried up to 300 people along a highway near the small ... Guatemalan town of Alaska, the town’s mayor has reportedly said.

The government, meanwhile, estimates that up to 150 were buried.

Al Jazeera’s Martin Asturias, reporting from the city of Chimaltenango, said the people were buried in the last of three landslides that have hit the Inter-American Highway in the past 24 hours.

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