IOM and its local partners have distributed kitchen and hygiene
kits to 300 families in Champerico, Retalhuleu and Santa Rosa,
along Guatemala's southern coast, who were forced to flee their
homes following days of heavy rains that impacted Central America
in October.

Several days of non-stop rains caused rivers to overflow and
landslides which destroyed hundreds of homes and washed away
millions of dollars in crops, mainly maize and beans which are the
main staples for the population. Many schools and clinics were
also damaged, which has severely affected many persons living in
rural areas.

In Central America, it is estimated that 123 were killed and
tens of thousands were forced to flee their homes. In Guatemala, 51
persons lost their lives and 254,000 others were directly
impacted.

The kitchen and hygiene kits delivered by IOM and its four NGO
partners - COOPI, CRS, ESFRA and SHARE - contain pots and pans,
plates, cups, glasses and silverware for five persons, towels, bath
and laundry soap, toothbrushes and paste, toilet paper, and garbage
bags, and are part of the humanitarian assistance procured by IOM
with funding of US$ 321,000 from the UN Central Emergency Response
Fund (CERF).

The remaining 1,700 families, from the departments of Peten,
Izabal, Guatemala (capital), Escuintla ad Jutiapa, will receive
kitchen and hygiene kits as well as winter essentials such as
clothing, sheets, pillows and blankets.

Families in the department of Jutiapa will also receive
agricultural tool kits so they can begin clearing their land and
planting for the next season.

For more information, please contact:

Sebastián Berkovich

IOM Guatemala

Tel: +502 2314.0086

E-mail: "mailto:sberkovich@iom.int">sberkovich@iom.int