13 Die As Heavy Rain Hit Central America

At least thirteen people died in flooding and landslides in El Salvador and Guatemala as heavy downpours struck Central America on Monday.

Gatekeepers News reports that Civil Defence Chief Luis Amaya revealed that in El Salvador, which is the most affected country so far, five people died in a landslide in the western district of Tacuba, in the department of Ahuachapan.

Before this, two fatalities were recorded on Sunday after a tree and a pole fell on a car that was travelling on a highway in the capital.

According to Amaya, four people also died in flooding and landslides between Friday and Sunday.

Congress had on Sunday, approved a state of emergency to help fasten the mobilisation of resources.

President Nayib Bukele revealed through a post on X, that he had asked Congress to declare Tuesday a public holiday to avoid commutes and “reduce the risk of tragedies.”

Rains have been slamming both countries since Saturday.

According to authorities, in Guatemala, an old woman, 57, and an old man, 68, died on Sunday in the village of Chacaya, in the western municipality of Sacapulas, when a collapsed wall fell on them.

A large number of people die each year in Central America as the rainy season leaves extensive damage to the countries’ infrastructure.

The authorities added that the death toll from a landslide in Ecuador rose from six to seven people, with 22 others injured.

The landslide was caused by heavy rains in the tourist Tungurahua province in southern Ecuador.