Conred identified 116 homes with severe damage and 499 properties at risk due to the flooding of the Pinula River in Villa Hermosa, San Miguel Petapa, Guatemala City — an emergency that affected 2,763 people and compromised the community's access to Los Álamos and Boca del Monte.
Heavy rains caused the river to rise on Saturday, October 3, in the Villa Hermosa I neighborhood, zone 7 of the municipality. The increased flow deepened the riverbed, caused the collapse of several houses located along the river, and forced the closure of traffic in the area, where the only bridge connecting to the route out to the capital was also left exposed.
Evaluations established that 487 people were affected by severe damage, while another 2,276 remain in a condition of risk. The figure combines the results from sectors II and IV of Villa Hermosa.
Damage concentrated in sectors II and IV
Sector II recorded 68 homes with severe damage and 207 at risk. There, 308 people were counted as affected and 950 exposed to possible new impacts from the river's behavior.
In sector IV, the number of homes with severe damage rose to 48, while 292 were left in a condition of risk. The area has 179 people affected and 1,326 residents exposed.
The data came from the Damage Assessments and Needs Analysis, a mechanism that makes it possible to determine how an emergency affected families, their homes…
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The overflow of the Pinula River in Villa Hermosa left 116 homes with severe damage and affected more than 2,700 people. (Conred Guatemala)Conred identified 116 homes with severe damage and 499 properties at risk due to the overflow of the Pinula River in Villa Hermosa, San Miguel Petapa, Guatemala City — an emergency that affected 2,763 people and compromised the community's access to Los Álamos and Boca del Monte. Intense rains caused the river to swell on Saturday, October 3, in the Villa Hermosa I neighborhood, zone 7 of the municipality. The increased water flow deepened the riverbed, caused the collapse of several houses located next to the river, and forced the closure of traffic in the area, where the only bridge connecting to the exit toward the capital was also left exposed. The assessments established that 487 people were affected by severe damage, while another 2,276 remain in a condition of risk. The figure combines the results from sectors II and IV of Villa Hermosa. The overflow of the Pinula River in Villa Hermosa left 116 homes with severe damage and affected more than 2,700 people. (Conred Guatemala)Sector II recorded 68 homes with severe damage and 207 at risk. There, 308 people were counted as affected and 950 exposed to possible new impacts from the river's behavior. In sector IV, the number of homes with severe damage rose to 48, while 292 were left in a condition of risk. The area concentrates 179 people affected and 1,326 residents exposed. The data came from the Damage Assessments and Needs Analysis, a mechanism that makes it possible to determine how an emergency affected families, their homes, and the resources needed to assist them. According to the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, the teams carried out field work on October 8 and 9 and asked residents for information to complete the survey. The institutional deployment on Friday, October 9, included 243 personnel from the Executive Secretariat of Conred, the Municipality of San Miguel Petapa, the Ministry of National Defense, the National Civil Police, and the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance. Two other teams, made up of 58 people, were assigned to sectors I and III to conduct visits and accompany residents. The institution's executive secretary, Claudinne Ogaldes, toured the area along with the departmental governor of Guatemala to supervise the progress of the assessments. The overflow of the Pinula River in Villa Hermosa left 116 homes with severe damage and affected more than 2,700 people. (Conred Guatemala)The National Civil Police and the Army of Guatemala reinforced perimeter security in the affected areas to protect the homes and belongings of families that must evacuate. The measure seeks to prevent acts of vandalism in light of the resistance of some residents to leaving their homes for fear of leaving their property unguarded. The institution recommended leaving properties with structural damage or conditions that could compromise safety, without waiting for a new flood. It also warned that it is not possible to anticipate the magnitude the water flow could reach and noted that the protection of life must take precedence over material goods. The emergency led the congressman and secretary general of the Valor party, Elmer Palencia, to propose an initiative to allocate Q100 million to the Ministry of National Defense. The funds would be earmarked for a permanent program of prevention and mitigation of risks associated with the Pinula River. Implementation would be carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers, in coordination with the Authority for the Sustainable Management of the Amatitlán Lake Basin and Watershed, the municipalities, and other competent entities. The project contemplates an annual plan and another five-year multiannual plan, both updatable, with critical points, priority works, maintenance, responsible parties, goals, costs, and indicators for reducing risks. The initiative prioritizes the high-risk sectors directly associated with the Pinula River, especially in San Miguel Petapa and the relevant areas of Villa Canales. Intervention in other municipalities would require technical studies proving a direct hydrological connection and the need to reduce threats related to the riverbed.