A fire broke out on Guanaja, the Bay Island of Honduras known for bustling tourism.
“We can confirm that we have no human losses but vast material losses,” said Minister of the National System for Risk Management and National Contingencies Max Gonzales, according to Reuters.
At least four people were injured in the inferno that destroyed over 200 businesses and homes, according to The Guardian. The damage was further exacerbated by the remote island’s lack of a firefighter service.
Around 400 people were evacuated out of the island’s nearly 6,000 residents. Eight hundred people were made homeless from the blaze, the island’s mayor Spurgeon Miller told The Associated Press.
“We tell the population that rescue teams and firefighters are working in the area,” said Gonzales. “We will not rest until the fire is under control.”
Social media footage of the disaster shows the island enshrouded in smoke. A widely circulated video captures Guanaja civilians as they dump buckets of water onto the flames.
The air force of Honduras deployed water-filled bags from their helicopters in an attempt to quell the blaze.
Though the cause of the fire is unknown, the inferno was reported to Honduran authorities at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to Gonzales.
A video Gonzales tweeted after the fire was under control shows a sea of ruined buildings stretching into the distance.
Gonzales tweeted, “The reconstruction in #Guanaja has already begun!” on Sunday.
Tourism-driven Guanaja is one of three Bay Islands of Honduras, along with Utila and Roatan.
The lush, secluded island attracts scuba divers and snorkelers from the around the globe.
Originally posted 2021-10-05 14:45:00.
