Taiwan pledges to donate US$300,000 in relief supplies to Guatemala

Taipei, Feb. 24 (CNA) Taiwan's government on Saturday pledged to donate US$300,000 in relief supplies to Guatemala in the wake of the devastation caused by a wildfire on the slopes of the dormant Agua volcano.

The Guatemalan government described the situation as urgent and has called for the international community to help with its disaster relief efforts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said in a news release.

As a longtime friend and a diplomatic ally of Guatemala, the government immediately made arrangements to donate US$300,000 in supplies to help the Central American nation, MOFA said.

Aside from this, Taiwan's technical mission in Guatemala and several Taiwanese expatriates have already donated 30 safety helmets, six sets of wireless electrical equipment and 1,000 cartons of instant noodles to help with the country's disaster relief efforts, the ministry said.

The Agua volcano (Volcán de Agua) is an inactive volcano located in Sacatepéquez, just over six kilometers from the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala, one of the main tourist sites in the Central American country.

According to international news reports, firefighters and the Guatemalan Army have been working since Thursday to extinguish the fire that started on Wednesday.

The cause of the blaze and the amount of burned hectares remain unknown.