GUATEMALA CITY, July 13 (NNN-TELESUR) — Guatemalan civil protection authorities have counted twenty-four deaths since last April due to the rainy season, an official source said on Saturday, as National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) recommends that the population stay informed through official channels.
National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction explained that, in addition to the 24 people who died, they have also registered one missing person and 30 injured.
The majority of deaths occurred in the departments (provinces) of Alta Verapaz and Baja Verapaz, in the north of the territory, although at least one death was also reported in the departments of Zacapa, Escuintla, Quiché, Suchitepéquez, Totonicapán, Jutiapa and Chiquimula.
The rainy season in the Central American country goes every year from April to October. In that period this year, the authorities have responded to 891 emergencies and just over 11,000 people have been affected by rainfall, landslides, collapses and structural damage to their homes.
In 2024, from April to October, the country headed by Bernardo Arévalo de León recorded 35 deaths due to rains and two missing persons, as well as 15,000 victims.
The number of accidental deaths in 2023 due to rains was 65 deaths and 13 missing persons, while in 2022 there were also 65 deaths and 10 missing persons, based on official data.
Guatemala has entered its 2025 rainy season, which traditionally extends from May to October and is characterized by a significant increase in the amount, intensity, and frequency of rainfall across the country. The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (Insivumeh) has established a regionalized calendar for the onset of rains, which have already begun in some areas since April, marking the transition into this time of year.
Insivumeh reports that the rains started between the second week of April and the first week of May in regions such as Bocacosta and the southern highlands, while in the central highlands, the onset is expected between the second and third week of May.
In the Pacific region, rains could begin between the third week of April and the second week of May, and in the Northern Transversal Strip and the Caribbean, they are expected to establish during the last week of May.
This season is characterized not only by an increase in rainfall but also by greater intensity and frequency of downpours, which raises the risk of landslides, river flooding, and inundations that can affect roads, homes, and community safety.
In this regard, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) recommends that the population stay informed through official channels, prepare family emergency plans, carry out preventive cleaning of drains, roofs, and gutters, and report any risk situations to the relevant authorities.
Between July and August, the presence of the “canícula” is expected—a temporary decrease in rainfall that usually lasts a few weeks. However, this year it is anticipated to be brief due to current climatic conditions in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Additionally, the hurricane season, which runs from May to November in the Pacific and from June to November in the Atlantic, is forecast to have higher activity in 2025, with between 13 and 19 storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This presents an additional risk for Guatemala, which could be affected by tropical systems that increase rainfall and associated damages.
The 2025 rainy season in Guatemala is starting gradually but earlier in several regions, with more intense and frequent rains than last year, requiring active preparation from both the population and authorities to mitigate negative impacts. — NNN-TELESUR
