Disaster preparedness Guatemala and El Salvador

Residents of Guatemala and El Salvador are highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes. In Guatemala City alone, more than 800,000 people are considered at high risk to landslides. Deforestation, high population density and climate change also contribute to the widespread vulnerability to landslides and flood-related disasters.

With funding from Taiwan, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is implementing a project to increase the resilience of 5,000 vulnerable residents in the municipality of Mixco, northwest of Guatemala City. PADF has developed the project “Yo Me Preparo” (I’m Getting Ready) to bring together stakeholders from informal hillside settlements that are vulnerable to floods and landslides, along with universities, public disaster response agencies and the private sector. The goal is to encourage Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), mitigate disaster risk and increase community resilience.