Seismic swarms leave more than 200 affected families and 80 damaged homes in central Honduras

Comayagua, Honduras. Seismic swarms continue to devastate central Honduras, leaving more than 200 affected families and at least 80 severely damaged homes. These events have raised growing concern among the local population, who have experienced 14 days of constant tremors and seismic aftershocks, totaling more than 90 events recorded to date.

Regarding the emergency, Mayor Manuel Urbina of Las Lajas stated that he has been at the forefront of efforts to address the emergency. In his statement, he expressed his dismay over the situation and announced immediate measures to assist the affected families.

«The population is waiting for answers and assistance from both the municipality and the central government. Today, in the morning hours, we experienced two quite strong aftershocks from the swarm of earthquakes affecting our region,» he reported.

«We have just concluded a meeting with Copeco and the governor of Comayagua to begin coordinating the necessary aid for our population. To date, we haven’t been able to quantify the exact number of aftershocks, but we know there have been at least 90, including those today,» he revealed.

The mayor also expressed his concern about the severity of the damage sustained by 80 homes in the municipality of Las Lajas, which will need to be rebuilt.

«They are severely damaged and need to be reconstructed. The cracks in these structures are so severe that it is dangerous for families to live there, as they could collapse in future aftershocks,» the Mayor affirmed.

«The situation has extended to other areas, including Nueva Concepción, Joya de Mula, the urban center, and the Valle Grande sector, as reports indicate that the epicenter of the seismic activity is located 5 to 7 kilometers from the urban center of Las Lajas,» he detailed.

In this regard, Urbina added that geological faults cannot be seen with the naked eye, but Copeco and Cenaos have reported the presence of cracks 4 to 5 kilometers from the urban center of Las Lajas.

Likewise, the Mayor of Las Lajas announced an open council meeting to declare the municipality in a state of emergency in search of more assistance for the affected families.

«It’s painful to say, but these are people of limited economic resources, and rebuilding these homes with their own resources would be extremely difficult,» he emphasized.

On his part, Copeco’s Deputy Commissioner Dario Rivera highlighted the need to obtain accurate information on the number of affected families. «So far, around 50 families have been attended to, but it is expected that the number will increase to approximately 200 affected families in total,» he enumerated.

Regarding support for the affected families, the official responded that efforts are being coordinated to provide humanitarian assistance to them in the coming week, with a priority on the safety of their homes.

«The local population has expressed a legitimate fear of staying in their homes due to constant seismic aftershocks. In response, we are exploring the inclusion of these families in the eco-housing program through the government’s Solidarity Network and the governor’s office,» he announced.

Seismic activity shows no signs of diminishing, and Cenaos experts are closely monitoring the situation. Recent earthquakes, including one with a magnitude of 4.5, have kept the population in constant alert. Efforts are being made to provide responses and support to the affected families in this challenging situation.

The seismic swarm in central Honduras is an emergency that requires immediate attention from the government and the international community. Additional measures are expected to be taken to assist the affected families and address the ongoing risks associated with seismic activity. E.P.Com.

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