Global Courant
The incident that in a few seconds claimed, early yesterday morning, at least 18 lives of Guatemalan adults and minors is unspeakable. They had their homes at the bottom of the ravine under the El Naranjo bridge; some were found dead and others are still missing. A possible dam caused by a landslide upstream and the sudden rains on Sunday night would have been the cause of a landslide that destroyed the humble tin houses. Once again vulnerability combines with climatic factors to cause a tragedy.
Experts in climate risk expose the need to prevent this type of unfortunate events by raising awareness among citizens and avoiding the settlement of areas near hillsides or on their slopes. However, the chronic economic difficulty of thousands of families and with it the impossibility of accessing decent housing is undeniable. Inaccessible rents and the prioritization of basic items such as food, children’s education or transportation to work end up configuring a complex scenario.
In the specific case of the Dios es Fiel settlement, under the El Naranjo bridge, it was evicted in 2005 to prevent a tragedy. However, surveillance of the area was short-lived and it became populated again. But it is not the only place like this. Thousands of families build their homes on risky embankments in the capital and neighboring municipalities. It is not just about getting them out of there but about providing them with sustainable and financeable alternatives, which in turn becomes a spiral of complications, costs and areas available for urbanization, one more consequence of the urban and economic macrocephaly noted five decades ago.
On the other hand, Guatemala continues to be considered one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change and rainfall imbalances. The contributions of the civilized world to the conservation of the forest layer, so necessary to cushion said environmental deterioration, are insufficient, and it would be desirable that if such resources existed, they would be dedicated to the consolidation of watersheds and the care of the colonies that proliferate on the slopes.
But the impact of unmonitored watersheds is not only for those who live in precarious conditions, although they are the ones who face the most dangers. However, there are effects that aggravate daily life. For example, the landslide that devastated km 19 of the highway to the Pacific, the partial closure of the Lourdes road in zone 5 due to the threat of collapse due to the passage of a piped river, or several sinkholes caused by the collapse of collectors drain. It is essential to update vulnerability monitoring protocols and the organization of neighbors who live in areas under threat, especially in the rainy season.
It is possible that there may be reluctance and people may oppose, but if clear plans, concrete actions and vital objectives are presented, an event of this fatal nature or even worse could be avoided. In any case, the current rainy season has not ended. After an unusually dry September, another period is approaching that generates downpours and storms. It would be appropriate, as a minimum gesture of solidarity, for the Government to declare three days of mourning for the victims of this unfortunate event and for Conred to launch an information campaign as soon as possible that is characterized by clarity and empathy.
Tragic vulnerability should spur action
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