Flooding in El Salvador

disaster_oef_2009.jpgHeavy rains, severe flooding, and mudslides caused by Hurricane Ida have officially claimed over 190 lives in El Salvador. There are at least 80 missing persons and over 14,000 people are currently living in shelters. Some 2,000 homes, 117 schools, and 25 health centers have been severely damaged or destroyed.

President Mauricio Funes declared a national emergency, describing the damage as "incalculable." According to local reports, the most affected departments are San Salvador, San Vicente, La Libertad, La Paz and Cuscatlán. As is often the case, the hardest hit by this disaster are individuals and families, who were already living in poverty.

The Resource Foundation has immediately contacted two of its affiliates in El Salvador in order to assess the need and determine emergency relief plans.

Centro de Reorientación Familiar y Comunitaria - CREFAC

Immediately after the flooding, CREFAC conducted a survey in La Paz to identify the dead, missing, and wounded and to determine the number of families who lost their homes. Currently, CREFAC is coordinating emergency relief efforts with municipal officials.

  • Geographic Area: 18 municipalities of the Department of La Paz
  • The Need: CREFAC has identified 4,902 people who have found refuge in community centers, schools, churches and municipalities. They need clothing, food, medicines and basic supplies. CREFAC’s central office also sustained significant damage.
  • Plan of Action: To provide affected children and adults with clothes, blankets, food, medicines, diapers, and sleeping bags so that they can better endure the time they will have to spend in the shelters. Milk for orphaned, nursing children is greatly needed. CREFAC must also rebuild its central office.

Asociación para la Organización y Educación Empresarial Femenina de El Salvador - OEF

OEF works in six districts in El Salvador, including San Vincente, an epicenter for the crisis.

  • Geographic Area: San Vicente
  • The Need: At least 500 families lost, or sustained significant damage to their homes, which are often also their principle place of business. It is now necessary to rebuild or repair houses.
  • Plan of Action: OEF plans to train 150 families in masonry, electrical wiring, and plumbing so that they can rebuild their houses and acquire technical skills that will increase their opportunities in the labor market. OEF will train beneficiaries through INSAFOR (Salvadorian Institute of Professional Training, by its Spanish acronym), which will provide them with non-degree certificates. OEF also plans to offer funding for the construction of 35 houses. The approximate cost of each house is $5,000.