Humanitarian Agency Moving Quickly to Distribute Emergency ItemsWESTPORT, Conn. (10 November 2009) Save the Children has dispatched emergency teams to assist with the effort to provide relief to children and families in El Salvador after
several days of heavy rain indirectly associated with Hurricane Ida triggered significant flooding and landslides. Five departments across the country are under a state of emergency. More
than 140 people have lost their lives, and many more people are injured or unaccounted for. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, and over 13,000 people are living in shelters. Others have moved to
different parts of the country to live with family members. Destructive floods have eliminated roads, including some roads in the capital, San Salvador, and mud slides have reportedly wiped
out entire villages."There is severe damage and loss of life," said Save the Children's Gersande Chavez, who is on-the-ground in El Salvador. "We are moving quickly to
distribute emergency items to help children and their families through this crisis, including food, water, mosquito nets and plastic sheeting for shelter."Save the Children also is
concerned the devastation of crops during the harvest season could result in severe food shortages for families in the months ahead. "We will continue to monitor the situation as we
address the short and long-term needs of children and families impacted by this disaster in El Salvador," added Chavez.
More information
Hurricane Ida made landfall
Thursday, November 5, in Nicaragua, which neighbours El Salvador, drenching the Central American country, destroying homes and schools and resulting in flash flooding and mud slides. Heavy rains then
cut a deadly path through El Salvador, where relief efforts are now focused.Save the Children has worked in El Salvador since 1979.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
Residents await news of family members who were lost due to flooding in San Vicente 74 km (44 miles) east of San Salvador November 10, 2009. Ida weakened to a tropical ...
