Guatemala declares state of calamity

The Government of Guatemala declared state of calamity in 16 of the country's 22 states due to a severe drought that has sweeped the nation and affected some 200,000 families.

The drought has caused losses worth $57.8 million since it began in July, and has affected mostly the country's bean and maize crops, staples of the Guatemalan diet.

The UN announced it will send more than 3,000 emergency food packages, as some 500,000 children under the age of five are at risk of malnutrition.

Full story (in Spanish)