Once known for its fish-filled waters, Lake Atescatempa in Guatemala has dried up, leaving nearby residents hungry and displaced.
Children are dying from lack of food.
community have watched the once thriving lake become little more than a few muddy puddles
Now, the shells of clams, snails, and immobile boats litter the lake bed
Lake Atescatempa has undergone a prolonged drought in the past two years that has effectively eliminated the town’s fishing and tourism industries.
Lake Atescatempa lies in what is known as Central America’s Dry Corridor, a western region spanning from Guatemala to Panama.
The region is currently experiencing one of the worst droughts seen in the past 10 years
Without long-term data, it’s difficult to say with absolute certainty that climate change contributed to Lake Atescatempa’s depletion
Other human activity, from resource extraction to agricultural malpractice, could also be to blame. However, climate change is a likely culprit.
People affected by Lake Atescatempa’s drought have reportedly received rations of beans, rice, flour, and oil. But indigenous communities have struggled to secure these rations.