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More than 175 dead from weekend storm in Central America

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Death toll increases to 152 in Guatemala
  • Nearly 125,000 evacuated and 74,000 in shelters
  • Guatemala also plagued by volcano
  • Agatha first named storm of Pacific hurricane season

(CNN) -- The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha continued to grow Tuesday, with 152 reported killed in Guatemala, 16 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador.

One-hundred people are missing in Guatemala and another 87 are injured, the nation's emergency agency reported Tuesday. In addition, nearly 125,000 people have been evacuated and 74,000 are living in shelters, said emergency official David de Leon.

The previously reported toll for Guatemala was 123 deaths, 90 people missing and 69 injured.

Guatemala also is feeling the effect of the Pacaya volcano, which erupted Thursday night and continued to spew ash Tuesday. Three people were killed when they were crushed by rocks strewn by the volcano.

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La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, the nation's capital, has been closed since Friday because of falling ash but was expected to open later Tuesday.

Pacaya is located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Guatemala City.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a 15-day state of calamity after the volcano eruption. Damage from Tropical Storm Agatha added to the devastation.

Destruction from the storm has been widespread throughout the nation, with mudslides destroying homes and buildings and burying some victims. At least nine rivers had dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges collapsed, the emergency services agency said.

In the northern part of Guatemala City, the downpour created a sinkhole the size of a street intersection. Residents told CNN that a three-story building and a house fell into the hole.

Classes have been canceled this week in schools throughout the nation.

In Honduras, where 16 people have died, President Porfirio Lobo declared a state of emergency Sunday.

Nearly 12,000 people have been evacuated from their homes and about 3,200 were living in shelters, the Honduran emergency agency said Tuesday. More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged, the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported.

The situation in El Salvador was improving, officials said Monday. The rain stopped Sunday afternoon and river levels were beginning to diminish, officials said. Classes nationwide remained canceled, however, until further notice.

Agatha was demoted from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Saturday night and lost its status as a depression Sunday evening.

It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season started Tuesday.

CNN's Arthur Brice contributed to this report.