State of Emergency in El Salvador

Heavy rainfall in El Salvador and throughout Central America since Sunday, October 9th has claimed the lives of at least 32 people and forced over 20,000 people to evacuate their homes and communities to emergency shelters. Accumulated rain greater than during Hurricane Mitch in 1998 has caused hundreds of landslides and mudslides, closing roads, destroying bridges, and leaving many communities cut off. Up until a week ago, many farmers shared that this year would be their best harvest in years; much of this crop will now be lost, rotting in the fields. A state of emergency was declared on October 14th and continues today, with rain predicted to continue until Wednesday.

“The massive nature, extension and intensity of the phenomenon puts us to the test as a community, as a people,” President Funes said on national television and radio Sunday. Funes has repeatedly called for solidarity: “Only working together, united, hand-in-hand, will we be able to bring relief to the thousands of families who are victims.”

The Lempa River Double Normal Size

Although the national government response has been exceptional compared to past years—SHARE counterparts in the Bajo Lempa report that this is the first time representatives from national government institutions including the Ministry of Agriculture and Civil Protection have arrived to help—there is still urgent need for supplies, including food, drinking water, blankets and mattresses. Thousands of people were immediately forced to abandon their homes and communities, bringing with them only a few changes of clothing.

In many areas, the situation has worsened with every passing day. As rains continue to fall and the dams release never-before-seen levels of water, an increasing number of communities are forced to evacuate. On both sides of the Lempa River emergency shelters have been forced to evacuate as the levees break and as the river exceeds even their level of protection. While early flooding was caused by rainfall, continual flooding is because of irresponsible management of the hydroelectric dams. On Sunday, local organizations reported 9,000 m3 per second from the September 15th Dam, on the Lempa River.  In past emergencies, the highest level reached was 6,000m3 during the worst moments. For perspective, communities go on high alert for flooding when the levels reach 3000. 

Local organizations lead the effort in evacuating communities and caring for families in shelters. While there have been repeated calls for national solidarity and dozens of donation reception centers have sprung up in the capitol, San Salvador, supplies are short in many emergency shelters. This ranges from basic food supplies to medicine, as disease strikes quickly with dozens or hundreds of people in close quarters with bad weather. The elderly and young children are the most vulnerable.

In some places, this includes round-the-clock attention for children through games and psychological attention for evacuees. Edith Portillo, the Women’s Coordinator at CRIDPES San Vicente, believes that the mental and emotional impact of this disaster may be worse than previous years. Because the rainy season was so favorable to crops, people expected a good harvest and now, most farmers in the Coastal region of El Salvador have lost everything.

SHARE El Salvador Director Isabel Hernandez believes that in many ways, this emergency will have worse effects than 2005′s Hurricane Stan. The continual heavy rains means that communities will be forced to remain in emergency shelters until at least this weekend, placing a heavy toll on local organizations to respond to their basic needs.

PLEASE help SHARE respond to this emergency by donating today.

Photos thanks to SHARE staff and La Prensa Grafica.