Mariela Castañón, a reporter for the daily newspaper La Hora, reported that the ground collapsed suddenly, taking a three-story house that was used as a factory and a security guard with it. Electricity poles were also sucked in. Authorities said they could not confirm the security guard's death.[1][19]
The sinkhole's collapse in Guatemala City's Zona 2 left at least 15 dead, and a further 300 residents' lives were put at risk.[2] Because of the role played by sewage pipes in the sinkhole's collapse, Sam Bonis, along with other geologists, has demanded that the government inspect the sewer system more regularly.[4]
According to officials, the sinkhole had similarities with another Guatemalan sinkhole which collapsed in 2007, which may also have been formed by ruptured sewage pipes.[4]
On a wider scale, immediately following reports of fatalities due to Agatha, a state of emergency was declared for Guatemala.[20] On May 31, the government started to deploy national aid, and donation centers for victims of the storm were opened across the country. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), schools in Guatemala were to be closed until at least June 4