Int'l community delivers humanitarian aid to Guatemala

The United States announced on Monday it would donate 112,000 U.S. dollars as humanitarian aid to aid Guatemala for the damages caused by storm Agatha which claimed at least 109 lives.

The United States said in a statement that the U.S. government would also dispatch rescue and search helicopters to Guatemala.

The money, donated by the U.S. Agency of International Development and the aid assistance program of the South Command, will be used for food and fuel for the emergency vehicles, and purchase of sanitary equipment and supplies, among others.

Meanwhile, the World Bank announced that it would offer an emergency loan of 85 million dollars to Guatemala. It also offered technical assistance to evaluate the damages and disasters and reconstruction management in the Latin American country.

The governments of France, Colombia and Mexico and the Organization of American States have also offered their aid to Guatemala.

Agatha whipped Guatemala for 18 continuous hours during the weekend. It damaged at least 11,000 buildings. The Guatemalan government has opened 40 gathering centers in the country to receive food, blankets and other aid.

Source:Xinhua