- A video shows a river of trash running through a river in Chimaltenango, Guatemala
- A shocked group of onlookers observe the trash rushing down the river
- The river is located in San Andrés Itzapa, a municipality of Chimaltenango
A shocking video shows garbage rushing down a river in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
The video shows a horrified group of onlookers observing the free-flowing trash polluting the river.
The river is located in San Andrés Itzapa, a municipality of Chimaltenango in southeastern Guatemala.
A shocking video shows piles of trash rushing down a river in Chimaltenango, Guatemala
Horrified onlookers observed the river of trash in the town of San Andrés Itzapa
The caption on the video says: ‘This is a collateral damage that these communities are used to live.’
‘Because of the irresponsibility of the people of San Andrés Itzapa, as they deposit the garbage in clandestine places, and when the rainy season comes the trash goes down to all these sectors,’ it continues.
The video was taken on September 11.
This is not the first time parts of Guatemala have had severely polluted rivers. In 2015, La Pasión River was contaminated with pesticides and caused an ecological disaster that affected 23 fish species.
Locals also depended on the river for drinking water.
According to the UN, about a quarter of Guatemalans don’t have access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, it’s closer to 50 percent. Cities do have sewer systems, but for many places sewage is often dumped into lakes, rivers, and oceans, polluting the water.
The caption of the video said the pollution was due to the responsibilities of the locals
In 2015, La Pasión River was contaminated with pesticides and caused an ecological disaster