The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters has been triggered to provide satellite-based emergency maps in response to heavy rains that triggered a massive landslide in the "El Cambray 2" urban settlement in Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala. The mechanism was activated on 7 October 2015, at 02:57 (UTC+02:00) by the USGS on behalf of the National Emergency Operations Center of Guatemala. The NEOC of Guatemala requested the activation of the Charter via CONAE in Argentina.
Around 160 bodies have been recovered as of 6 October and the NEOC estimates that more than 300 persons are still missing. Search and rescue efforts are being conducted to search for survivors in houses covered by trees and debris.
CONRED officials have declared the area uninhabitable. Over 230 people are being relocated. Officials from CONRED also indicated that they had "detected cracks in the hilltop through which water was seeping, heightening the potential of further mudslides”.
To access the emergency support page for Guatemala, please click here.
