page_title: Tropical Storm Agatha
section_title: Guatemala
hierarchical_section_title: Tropical Storm Agatha / Impact / Guatemala
caption_attribution_description: Español: San Miguel Escobar, Municipio Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala. 31 de Mayo de 2010 dos días luego del desastre causado por la tormenta Agatha, que resultó en una correntada de lodo, piedras y árboles provenientes del Volcán de Agua. English: Aftermath of the mud flow coming down the slopes of the Agua Volcano into San Miguel Escobar, Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala. 31 May 2010, two days after the mud flow caused by Tropical Storm Agatha.
context_page_description: Tropical Storm Agatha was a weak but catastrophic tropical cyclone that brought widespread floods to much of Central America, and was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific since Hurricane Pauline in 1997. The first storm of the 2010 Pacific hurricane season, Agatha originated from the Intertropical Convergence Zone, a region of thunderstorms across the tropics. It developed into a tropical depression on May 29 and tropical storm later, it was dissipated on May 30, reaching top winds of 45 mph and a lowest pressure of 1000 mbar. It made landfall near the Guatemala–Mexico border on the evening of May 29. Agatha produced torrential rain all across Central America, which resulted in the death of one person in Nicaragua. In Guatemala, 152 people were killed and 100 left missing by landslides. Thirteen deaths also occurred in El Salvador. Agatha soon dissipated over Guatemala. As of June 15, officials in Guatemala have stated that 165 people were killed and 113 others are missing.
  In all, Agatha caused at least 204 fatalities, and roughly $1.1 billion in damage throughout Central America.
context_section_description: Two days before landfall, on May 27 the Pacaya volcano, roughly 25 mi (40 km) south of Guatemala City, erupted, killing one person and forcing over 2,000 people to evacuate, and causing the temporary closing of the main international airport. Excessive rainfall from Agatha in the region could exacerbate the situation and trigger lahars. However, people working in coffee fields considered the rain brought by the storm to be helpful, removing ash from their trees. According to meteorologists in Guatemala, at least 14 in (360 mm) of rain had fallen by the evening of May 29. Several landslides blocked roadways across southern areas of the country, hindering traffic. Following the storm, a three-story building was swallowed by a 30-meter (100-ft) diameter sinkhole caused by Agatha's rainfall.
  A mudslide coming down the Agua volcano left 9 deaths and 12 disappeared in the town of San Miguel Escobar. 
  In the town of Almolonga, department of Quetzaltenango, a mudslide triggered by the storm killed four people after destroying their home, and in total twelve people were killed in Guatemala, while another landslide left 11 people missing.
  Officials in the country declared a state of emergency during the afternoon of May 29 as conditions worsened. Many rivers in the country were already swollen and close to over-topping their banks. Many other homes were destroyed in widespread floods and dozens of emergency rescues had to be made.
  By the afternoon of May 30, reports from the region stated that 15 people had been killed and 22 others were missing throughout Guatemala. Preliminary damage assessments showed that at least 3,500 homes were damaged. A total of 112,000 people were evacuated. Additionally, at least 20,000 people have been left homeless as a result of the storm. Some areas recorded the heaviest rainfall in over 60 years, measuring more than 36 in (910 mm). This also ranks Agatha as the wettest known tropical cyclone to ever strike the country, surpassing Hurricane Mitch. By the next day, the death toll had risen to 92, with another 95 people injured.
  In Guatemala City, a sinkhole 30 stories deep collapsed, killing 15 people and placing a further 300 residents in danger. A three-story house and telephone poles were also swallowed, along with a security guard. The sinkhole was formed due to sewage pipes leaking, and flooding from Agatha only exacerbated the problem.
caption: Deadly mudslide in San Miguel Escobar.
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