Latin America victimized by hurricane
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Hundreds of members in Guatemala are reeling from the worst natural disaster to torment their country in almost three decades.
More than 500 Guatemalans, including one Church member, were killed amidst more than 400 major mud slides and severe flooding spawned by Hurricane Stan. Some 1,400 others are reported missing after the village of Panabaj in northwest Guatemala was buried under mud between Oct. 8-9. The damage was so severe there that the town will likely be abandoned forever. Church leaders continue to make an accounting of members in the region.
The last time such a catastrophe hit Guatemala was Feb. 4, 1976, when a magnitude-7.5 earthquake shook Guatemala City, claiming more than 22,000 lives.
Meanwhile, Church units in El Salvador and southern Mexico were dealing with their own troubles. A Mexican member was killed and a meetinghouse in Tapachula, Mexico, was severely damaged after being inundated by several feet of water, according to Garry Flake, the Church's emergency response director. There was minor damage to three meetinghouses in Guatemala and six in El Salvador.
Anxiety in Guatemala and El Salvador was also heightened after those two nations reportedly experienced volcanic and earthquake activity.
The names of the members killed have not been released. Church officials said missionaries in the impacted areas are safe, accounted for and assisting with relief efforts.
The flooding and attendant slides have also displaced dozens of LDS families. The homes of 70 Mexican member families and 20 Guatemalan member families have been lost. Many others will be able to salvage their homes only after cleaning out large amounts of mud.
"It's been a real challenge," said Brother Flake, who was dispatched to Guatemala to oversee the Church's large humanitarian effort. "So many have been out of their homes."
The flooding and mud slides arrived amid nearly relentless rain, the Associated Press reported. It's estimated some 200,000 Guatemalans are from homes that were damaged, destroyed or threatened by new rainfall.
Many of the displaced have sought shelter in LDS meetinghouses. Some 1,700 individuals in Guatemala, and another 130 in El Salvador, remained at Church meetinghouses at press time. In all, 27 LDS buildings have been used as evacuation centers in Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. At press time, some 25 percent of the evacuees who had spent time sheltered in meetinghouses had returned to their homes, Brother Flake said.
Flooding and sliding mud undermined transportation and communication in many affected areas. For several days, the Mexican city of Tapachula was isolated from the rest of the country. "Tapachula has taken a big hit," Brother Flake said.
Meanwhile, 18 highways in Guatemala were severely damaged, leaving many areas inaccessible for a time.
The Church's relief effort reached a pivotal point Oct. 10 when assistance was able to reach all of the meetinghouses being used to house displaced Guatemalans. "We have delivered provisions to every Church unit now," Brother Flake said.
Small aircraft was also used to survey damage and deliver relief supplies to many isolated communities. Central America Area President Spencer V. Jones of the Seventy flew to isolated, impacted areas to meet with local priesthood leaders and offer support to members.
"In all of the areas, the members were very happy to see a member of the area presidency," said Julio Alvarado, the Church's public affairs director in Guatemala. "(Elder Jones) confirmed that it had been difficult to gain access to the areas, but that the members had received the boxes of provisions sent from (Guatemala City)."
Some 150,000 pounds of food, medicine, clothing and other provisions were collected from bishops' storehouses in Atlanta, Ga., and Orlando, Fla., and flown Oct. 12 to Guatemala City. The items were expected to be distributed to members and other disaster victims via bishops' orders. The Church was also working with Guatemalan relief agencies to deliver assistance to those in need, Brother Flake said.
As expected, members in impacted countries pitched in to help. Members in Mexico City, including many students at the Church-owned Benemerito School, prepared 6,000 food boxes that were delivered to southern Mexico.
"Members are receiving assistance as needs are being identified and ways to reach them become available," wrote Mexico South Area Welfare Manager Elder Levi Ontiveros in an e-mail to the Church News.
Lots of muscle was also enlisted in Guatemala, where hundreds contributed time and effort doing whatever was asked to assist those in need. Watching his fellow LDS Guatemalans labor and serve, Brother Alvarado was reminded of the early, rank-and-file members of 1856 who left their homes in Salt Lake City to rescue fellow members belonging to the imperiled Martin and Willie handcart companies.
Once the immediate needs of members are met, Church welfare officials and local priesthood leaders will began accessing the long-term issues facing many LDS disaster victims in the region. Many communities have suffered substantial crop damage, so ongoing food needs are expected, Brother Flake said.
Meanwhile, the rebuilding of homes will likely take place on a case-by-case basis, he added.
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
