ECLAC Assesses Disaster
Impact on Central America
SAN SALVADOR - The Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
started on Tuesday an assessment of damages
of recent weather phenomena and the increase
of seismic activity in Central America.
The study will run through the month and
determine the social, economic and
environmental impact of tropical storm
Agatha and the Pacaya volcano.
Agatha, the first meteor of the year formed
in the Pacific Ocean, entered the region in
late May, causing heavy rain, flood, river
overflowing and landslides hitting mainly
Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, where
it left 200 deaths, dozens of disappeared
and millions in damages to crops and
infrastructure.
The Pacaya eruption caused two deaths,
including a journalist, and hundreds of
victims, besides forcing the temporary
closing of La Aurora international airport.
In Central America an upward trend in the
intensity and frequency of weather disasters
is obvious, added to a permanent seismic
activity which causes heavy losses, says the
UN commission.
According to ECLAC, at least 240 climate
disasters hit Central America in 1979-2009,
directly affecting 27 million people and
causing $26.89 billion in damages.
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