Tropical storm AGATHA caused serious damage in San Lucas.

   Apart from the seven dead, and a number of homes destroyed, many other nearby homes have been assessed as being "in danger". Mudslides demolished some houses, and filled others with a several foot deep layer of mud. Those who died were buried in the mud or swept away by the deluge. There was also extensive flooding. Other houses are right in the line for further mudslides, and people have been forbidden to return to them

   Many of those who lost their homes, or whose homes are in danger, are spending the night in the public schools. Even if they have family to stay with, they fear that if they don't remain in the temporary accomodation, they will not be considered for rehousing.

   Public grade schools are most affected, with about half their classrooms being used by evacuees. In one school, first to third grade is being taught from 7:30 to 10:00 am, and 4th to 6th grade from 10:30am to 1:00 pm

   Some land for temporary homes is being made available by the San Lucas Mission: the Mission is talking of a one year lease, though the town hall is telling people that the land will be available for two years. The authorities have machinery clearing this land, and the evacueees are helping. Materials to build the temporary homes were sent by government several weeks ago.

   Most roads from San Lucas are now open most of the time. The road south is open, but when it rains heavily, this floods and becomes impassible until the rain stops and the floods recede. Secondary schools are working shorter hours, to enable students in the afternoon to go home well before sunset (heavy rains are usually in the afternoon)

The ground is saturated, and we have had rain every day but one, since AGATHA. Because the ground is so wet, further tropical storms could cause more landslips.

Another problem that AGATHA has caused is that a lot of the small coffee plantations on the side of the volcano, owned by small farmers, have been washed away. If coffee is planted now, it will take several years before a crop can be harvested

Whilst hurricanes MITCH and STAN occurred at the end of the wet season, AGATHA has come at the start of the wet season - people are worried about how the rest of the wet season will turn out.