Caption

GUATEMALA, Quetzatenango, Xela, "Water shortages in the outskirts of the town of Xela. Eenvironmental destruction, implicit in open pit mining, continues to damage the ecosystems in Guatemala. Forests, water sources, flora and fauna are all heavily effected. Cyanide and heavy metal contamination of several water sources in the area has been confirmed. There are communities that have drunk water with high concentrations of arsenic, mercury and lead for years, while other communities must travel to another municipality in order to obtain enough clean water for domestic use. Efforts are slowly being made to transport usable water to the regions most effected, but as always, the deliveries are erratic and unreliable. These local indigenous kids have waited for hours for a delivery of 'drinkable' water. The youngest one runs from her house across the dusty road with a large blue plastic bucket, ready to be filled to the brim. Her older sister watches on in the background, staying by the wooden gate of the house. The house itself is worn and crumbling. Some of the tiles on the roof are beginning to crack and the old red brickwork can be seen behind flaking paint. Through the gate in the background, the sun shines in a cloudy blue sky while green fauna grows in abundance. On the front wall of the house hangs the road and area name - '3 Avenida, Zona 4'"

Info+

Joe Lasky eye ubiquitous / hutchison

Credit line

Photo12/Eye Ubiquitous

Reference

UQS10A70_168

Model release

No

License type

Rights managed

Available size

50,8Mb (2,5Mb) / 17,1in x 11,5in / 5142 x 3452 (300dpi)

Keywords

GUATEMALA Quetzatenango Xela Water shortages outskirts town Xela Eenvironmental destruction implicit open pit mining continues damage ecosystems Guatemala Forests water sources flora fauna all heavily effected Cyanide heavy metal contamination several water sources area has been confirmed There communities that have drunk water high concentrations arsenic mercury lead years while other communities must travel another municipality order obtain enough clean water domestic use Efforts slowly being made transport usable water regions most effected but as always deliveries erratic unreliable These local indigenous kids have waited hours delivery 'drinkable' water youngest one runs her house across dusty road large blue plastic bucket ready be filled brim Her older sister watches background staying wooden gate house house itself worn crumbling Some tiles roof beginning crack old red brickwork can be seen behind flaking paint Through gate background sun shines cloudy blue sky while green fauna grows abundance front wall house hangs road area name '3 Avenida Zona 4'" Central America Architecture Children Ethnic People Urban American Central America Hispanic Indegent Latin America Latino"