Guatemala buried under rain and ash

Guatemala has endured a devastating weekend after a volcanic eruption on Thursday was followed two days later by a tropical storm.

Storm Agatha hit Central America on Saturday, paying close attention to Guatemala, where some regions received over a metre of rainfall. An entire district of the southern town of San Antonio Palopo was submerged under a colossal mudslide.

Nationwide, around 74,000 people have been evacuated and at least 144 are feared dead. Heavy rainfall is predicted to continue in the coming days.

The storm hit just the day after the eruption of the Pacaya volcano left dozens of towns and villages covered in a coat of ash up to five centimetres thick. Aid workers think that the ash is hindering evacuation procedures and aggravating the floods.

Coated in ash

Villa Canales, Guatemala Department. Children play in the Pacaya ash, which coated 100 squared kilometres of land. Posted on Flickr by "Scavy M".

A mash of ash and rainwater. Photo posted on Flickr by "MrChipsa".

...and after

The streets of Quetzaltenango, the country's second largest city, after Storm Agatha. Photos: Nadia Sussman. Posted on Flickr by HablaGuate.  

A lane in San Miguel Petapa, Guatemala Department, west. Posted on Flickr by "athomemonblog".

A damaged wall in the town of San Miguel Petapa after Storm Agatha. Posted on Flickr by "athomemonblog".

During the storm...

A river breaks its banks after heavy rainfall on Saturday. Video posted on Flickr by "kendollguatemala".

San Lucas Toliman, Sololá Department in the west of the country. Posted by HablaGuate.