Hurricane Adrian Update

May 20, 2005

Dear Friends,

Yesterday evening Hurricane Adrian passed through El Salvador. This is the first hurricane in recorded history to hit El Salvador from the Pacific. It landed in La Libertad and passed through the eastern and central regions of the country. The immediate impacts of the storm consisted of treacherous landslides and some rivers overflowing which washed out roads. The land was left waterlogged and at risk for future flooding.

The United Nations, the Salvadoran government’s national emergencies body (COEN) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) effectively evacuated 16,000 from the coastal regions. Many of those evacuated are housed in temporary emergency shelters until it is safe for them to return to their homes.

The good news is that the immediate impacts of the storm are not as destructive as predicted, but continued rains over the next few days in El Salvador and Honduras could potentially cause flooding in the Bajo Lempa. The Lempa River runs through Guatemala and Honduras, draining in the Pacific Ocean through El Salvador in the Bajo Lempa. Landslides are also still a possibility. CRIPDES, our counterpart which works closely with the communities, is now working to get evacuated communities back home, so hopefully the worst is over. Over the next two days, SHARE will be participating along with other NGOs, the COEN and the UN to more thoroughly assess the impacts of the hurricane. We will continue keeping you posted.

We extend our thoughts, prayers, and intentions towards our friends and loved ones in El Salvador.

Sincerely,

The SHARE Foundation

Back to top