Following a series of strong and frequent earthquakes in central Guatemala on July 8, Cruz Roja Guatemalteca has launched a humanitarian response aimed at assisting the most affected communities. The operation is supported by funding from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF).
The seismic events included an initial earthquake of magnitude 5.2 at 15:11, followed by a second quake of magnitude 5.6 thirty minutes later, and more than 4,000 aftershocks—120 of which were felt across several municipalities in Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Escuintla. These earthquakes have caused damage to homes, disrupted basic services, and impacted livelihoods.
Cruz Roja Guatemalteca is coordinating its efforts with the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), as well as local authorities and community leaders. The organization has activated a humanitarian assistance operation with an allocation of 321,514 Swiss francs from IFRC-DREF. The initiative aims to provide direct support to 2,500 people over four months.
The operation prioritizes rural communities whose homes have been damaged and where water services and livelihoods are at risk. Planned actions include:
- Distribution of water storage and purification kits alongside water quality monitoring in targeted communities.
- Multipurpose cash transfers to 200 families identified based on vulnerability criteria.
- Risk reduction activities and promotion of community preparedness in high seismic exposure zones.
- Multisectoral damage and needs assessments led by trained volunteer teams.
"Faced with the ongoing #SismoGT that have occurred in the center and south of the country, #CruzRojaGT continues monitoring," stated Cruz Roja Guatemalteca via social media.
In coordination with Hospital General San Juan de Dios (@HospigenGT), Cruz Roja Guatemalteca also reported installing an evacuation area for patients in one hospital parking lot following recent tremors.
The organization emphasized that their response seeks "to guarantee a fast, contextualized humanitarian response based on Humanitarian Principles that addresses immediate needs adapted to the local context."
The IFRC-DREF serves as the quickest mechanism for channeling funds directly to national societies responding to small- or medium-scale emergencies. Since its inception in 1979, it has enabled rapid responses to natural disasters, health emergencies, humanitarian crises, and anticipatory actions that save lives.
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