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Thursday, October 6, 2005
65 Dead, Over 50,000 Evacuated Due to Heavy Rain from Hurricane Stan
Today, the sun was shining in El Salvador, a welcome change after five days of near non-stop rain and high amounts of rain accumulation in the last two weeks. Authorities are reporting sixty-five people dead and that over 50,000 have sought refuge in temporary shelters across the country. Schools are still closed nationwide.
The constant rain has resulted in flooding, landslides and mudslides, causing some people to lose their homes, making many communities unsafe and cutting off others because landslides or flooding have made roads impassable. The average historical rainfall for the month of October for the whole country is 205 mm. Many parts of El Salvador have already surpassed, doubled, or even tripled that amount in the last four days. Click here to read brief radio reports from community radio stations in a number of rural communities. (in Spanish only) The heavy rain affecting El Salvador and other Central American nations is attributed to Hurricane Stan passing through the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center in Miami is now advising of Tropical Storm Tammy off the coast of Florida, which is expected to bring more rain to El Salvador. |
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Graph from La Prensa Gráfica |
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The shelters provided by the Salvadoran National Committee on Natural Disasters (COEN) are not adequately stocked with supplies such as food, water, clothing, blankets and mattresses. Many communities have converted their churches and schools into shelters.
If you are interested in giving to the relief effort, CRISPAZ recommends that you donate to one of our partner organizations providing relief to evacuees. Click here
to see account information for APROCSAL, UNES and OIKOS Solidarity. All three of these organizations work accompanying rural communities in various capacities.
The attached graphs detail the numbers of dead and evacuated by department (from La Prensa Grafica) and the levels of rain accumulation by zones (from SNET).
Accumulated Rainfall by Zone from El Salvador's National Geological
Studies Service (SNET)
Cities and towns (including sorrounding areas) |
Accumulated Rain for the month of October (mm). |
Accumulated Rain in the last two weeks |
Accumulated Rain in the last four |
Greater San Salvador, mainly in the eastern sector and south of the city. |
371.7 |
515.7 |
361.3 |
El Picacho, mainly in Montebello Poniente, Lorena and surrounding areas. |
357.2 |
535.7 |
353 |
Zone consisting of the area between Santa Tecla and the Highway to the Port of La Libertad, Los Chorros y Comasagua. |
445.2 |
724.6 |
393.6 |
Cojutepeque, Panoramic highway and surrounding areas |
256.7 |
377.7 |
255 |
Zone consisting of Sensuntepeque, Chorrera del Guayabo, Cerrón Grande to Suchitoto. |
153.1 |
398.6 |
141.9 |
Zone between San Francisco Gotera and Perquín, Departament of Morazán. |
210.4 |
381.2 |
154.1 |
Zone consisting of the Santa Ana Volcano, Los Naranjos, Juayúa, Apaneca, Concepción de Ataco to Tacuba. |
656.1 |
918.7 |
649.6 |
Zone from San José Villanueva to Walter Deninnger Park, Departament of La Libertad. |
150.9 |
450.5 |
249.9 |
Conchagua Volcano and surrounding areas, Departament of La Unión. |
245.9 |
545.3 |
244.1 |
San Vicente Volcano, mainly in the towns of Guadalupe, Zacatecoluca y Tecoluca. |
302.6 |
377.2 |
299.4 |
Zone consisting of Berlín, Santiago de María, Usulután volcano, Jucuapa, Chinameca to El Pacayal, to the east of the country |
465 |
620.8 |
460.4 |
Note: The historical average for rain in October for the whole country is 205 mm.
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