Guatemala City, August 30 (RHC)-- Guatemala has declared a state of emergency in 16 out of 22 provinces amid one of the worst droughts in decades.
 
Local activist Dina Cardona said farmers are facing severe shortfalls.  She told reporters in Guatemala City: "Some parts are drier and in others no crops have grown.  There has been a total cut of crops, not even the cattle want to eat it because its too dry.  The farmers would have liked to sell their crops to recover what little they can but they can’t, they’ve lost everything."
 
The World Food Program has estimated about 2.5 million people have been impacted across Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.
 
Weather experts say that the U.S. state of California has been grappling with similar conditions with 98 percent of the state now deemed to be in a condition of "severe drought."