President Trump dispatched emergency resources to Guatemala on Thursday, after the death toll climbed to 99 following a volcanic eruption near the country’s capital this month.
“The people of the United States extend our deepest condolences to the victims of the ongoing eruption of Fuego volcano in Guatemala,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. She said Trump has responded to the Guatemalan government’s request for “emergency aid, including financial resources to help meet food, water, and sanitation needs for the affected population.”
“The United States is also sending aircraft to assist in transporting burn victims of this terrible event for treatment in Florida. We will continue to coordinate with the Guatemalan government to provide further aid where needed,” Sanders said.
Officials in Guatemala estimate that around 4,000 residents have been displaced from their homes, many of which have been consumed by lava and buried in ash. The Fuego volcano erupted on Sunday and has since destroyed several villages near Guatemala City. Nearly 200 people remain missing, and only 25 of 99 bodies found by local authorities and search parties have been identified.
“We will continue until we find the last victim, though we do not know how many there are. We will probe the areas as many times as necessary,” Guatamela’s disaster relief chief, Sergio Cabanas, told reporters on Wednesday.
The country has also received medical aid from Israel, in addition to support from G13 countries like Canada, France, Japan, Italy, Mexico, China, and the United Kingdom.
“The G13 is at the disposal of the Guatemalan authorities to help with the Volcan Fuego tragedy and sends its condolences to those affected,” the British Embassy tweeted earlier this week.
