AUSTIN — AUSTIN -- Following the deadly volcanic eruption in Guatemala that has killed more than a 100 people, an Austin woman is raising money to buy medicine and supplies for the survivors.
Angela Mejia told KVUE most of her family lives in Guatemala. Her mother was visiting the Central American country last week for the first time in years when the Volcano of Fire erupted.
"Everyone thought at first it was like a thunderstorm coming until the ashes started to come. So instantly, they knew something had happened," she said.
Ash from the volcano has left some towns unrecognizable. More than 200 people are feared missing in the destruction, according to ABC News.
"I can't imagine a volcano, let alone something the size of that volcano, happening. I mean, everything, everything is gone. Everything. They have nothing," Mejia said.
Her cousin, Jorge Pacheco, lives in Antigua, which is a city about 11 miles from the volcano. Mejia keeps in constant contact with Pacheco, getting daily updates as he works to help survivors.
"I've never physically met my cousin, but I wanted to help," she said.
She's now raising money on GoFundMe to give to Pacheco's father, a doctor, so he can buy medication and supplies for those in need.
"The people that I know that have no money, like my family, my friends, you know, people who are barely making ends meet, we're the ones that have raised this money so far," she said.
Pacheco is staying in a town near the volcano called Alotenango where he, his youth group, and other volunteers are helping organize first aid efforts.
"Ash falls, and that affects many people in the lungs, in the eyes, and that's when there are a lot of health problems," Pacheco told KVUE during an interview on FaceTime.
It's been difficult to provide aid for villages near the volcano because of the debris and the mountainous terrain.
"You can't even take trucks there because of the state it's in. That's why it becomes so difficult there," Pacheco said.
Despite the health risks, people continue to search for survivors in the rubble.
"Many of the families that have survived have arrived to look for their family members," Pacheco said.
Mejia hopes her contributions nearly 2,000 miles away will help the place most of her family calls home.
"We don't come from very much. There's not very much there. I think because of that, the Guatemalan people are a little more humble, a little more content with the small things," she said. "For them, this means a lot."