Environment

Guatemala fears more landslides; calls off search

by Amy Judd | January 6, 2009 at 12:20 pm

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A threat of further landslides has forced the Guatemalan authorities to call off the search for bodies among the rubble, as 30 people are still labeled as missing. About 800 people have been evacuated from the village of Aquil Grande to nearby temporary shelters.

The bodies that have already been recovered were buried under looser rubble and the rest of the people are under heavier rocks, so they require much more time and effort to retrieve them.

"Strong excavation could provoke more risk of life," Arbizu said.

Six injured people remained hospitalized, though none are critical, the spokesman said.

One of the injured men spoke from his hospital bed.

"According to the information they gave me last night, my brother died, Jose Alfredo Perez Mendoza," the unidentified man said Tuesday on Canal 7 Guatemala TV. "And another brother I don't know anything about."

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Karenke4

at 09:57 on January 7th, 2009

This is so sad.

At least 35 people were killed, many of them laborers on coffee plantations. At least 50 people are missing.

AndrewKerman

at 10:47 on January 7th, 2009

Guatemala is mountainous with steep, winding roads cutting through the countryside.

AndrewKerman has contributed a photo to this story.

kate_gascoine

at 12:03 on January 7th, 2009

This is from my alternative spring break trip in March 2008, on the road from Guatemala City to Rabinal in Guatemala. The roads are all mountainous, steep and windey. You really feel like you're about to fall off the mountainside with how the roads are just perched on cliffs...

kate_gascoine has contributed a photo to this story.