Volcanic blast 24 miles southwest of Guatemala City leaves thousands seeking shelter, water, food, clothing and medical care.
GUATEMALA CITY (June 4, 2018) — Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted June 3 in the provinces of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepéquez, where the Guatemalan government has declared a State of Public Calamity. CARE is active in the area, monitoring the situation and ready to respond to the disaster that has killed at least 25 people and affected 1.7 million people.
With more than 3,200 people having already fled their homes and communities, the primary needs include shelter, medical care, food, water and clothing. Authorities have begun search and rescue operations to locate missing persons. CARE has personnel on the ground in the affected area and is in close contact with local leaders, coordinating a response with OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and Guatemala City-based CONRED (Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres). CARE has activated a 12-member team to assist in the response as needed.
“We have worked in the affected communities for a long time and have developed longstanding relationships with the people there,” said Ada Zambrano, Country Director for CARE in Guatemala. “Our priority is to ensure that families are safe and accounted for, even as we determine how best to help survivors get back on their feet for the long term.”
CARE has worked in Guatemala since 1959. We will continue to monitor and assess the impact of the eruption and the needs of those affected, as our team on the ground prepares an appropriate response. CARE is particularly concerned about the well-being of women and girls who often are most vulnerable when disaster strikes, whether natural or man-made.
About CARE
Founded in 1945 with the creation of the CARE Package®, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside women and girls because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. That’s why women and girls are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve education and health, create economic opportunity, respond to emergencies and confront hunger. Last year CARE worked in 93 countries and reached more than 63 million people around the world. Learn more at care.org.
Media Contacts
Brian Feagans, bfeagans@care.org; 404-979-9453
Nicole Harris, nharris@care.org, 404-735-0871