Press Releases

USAID Delivers Third Plane of Aid to Guatemala; USAID Assistance Totals $3.2 Million

Guatemala, October 13, 2005

The U.S. mission in Guatemala, working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Southern Command, continues to supply assistance to Guatemala to meet priority needs as requested and coordinated by CONRED, Guatemala’s disaster response coordinator. Total USAID assistance to date totals more than $3.2 million. In addition, U.S. Southern Command continues to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars of assistance in daily helicopter search and rescue missions and other relief operations.

USAID is distributing $1.2 million in relief through non-governmental relief organizations operating in Guatemala. In addition, $1.1 million has been re-directed from current USAID programs in Guatemala to provide emergency food and health supplies to affected communities.

On October 13, an airplane-load of USAID assistance arrived in Guatemala City. The DC-10 shipment contained 62,926 kilograms (138,729 pounds or 69 tons) of relief supplies totaling $360,000. The shipment contained 800 rolls of plastic sheeting (to provide temporary shelter for more than 2,000 families); 2,500 hygiene kits containing towels, soap and toiletries; more than 10,000 water containers; six 12,000-liter water distribution kits; and two water treatment units. This is the third air shipment of relief supplies to Guatemala to date; the first two, which were delivered last week, totaled $156,000.

USAID has purchased $150,000 in food, water, fuel and mattresses for relief, and USAID has donated $200,000 to the Pan American Health Organization to assist in their relief efforts in Guatemala.

In addition, U.S. Southern Command continues to work closely with CONRED and Guatemalan officials to assist relief operations. Nine helicopters -- six UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and three CH-47 Chinook helicopters – are providing assistance to Guatemala in search and rescue operations in priority areas and to deliver critical relief supplies and CONRED personnel involved in search-and-rescue to areas isolated by flooding. Southern Command helicopters will continue in the coming days to provide search-and-rescue support and to deliver relief with a focus on priority affected areas.

DOD has also provided more than 750 maps to assist in search and rescue operations and in delivery of relief, and DOD will be providing to CONRED and Guatemala’s relief officials additional mapping information to help assess damage from the floods and landslides.

In addition, Peace Corps volunteers are engaged in relief operations and support in affected areas, including in San Marcos, Solola, Quetzaltenango, Chimaltenanago, Sacetepequez and Totonicapan.

The Government of the United States and the American people continue to extend to the Government and people of Guatemala our solidarity and assistance in response to the extensive loss of life and damage to property caused by the heavy rains, flooding and resulting landslides.