Hurricane Ida hits El Salvador


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Devastation as Hurricane Ida hits El Salvador

Thousands are left homeless and the present death toll stands at over 130 following the heavy rains and storms that struck El Salvador in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The Capital San Salvador and San Vincente were among regions badly affected.

Sr. Vilma comes from Guadalupe, in the west of San Vicente which is a ‘departamento’ or county in the middle of El Salvador. According to figures for Guadalupe, released from Caritas, 28 houses have been destroyed and 10 damaged. Although Sr. Vilma’s family are all ok, there are still 25 people missing and around 400 people living in shelters.

In the surrounding areas many more people are cut off and in need of help but are not now in any immediate danger.

Sr. Vilma says, “I cannot recognise the place I was born and lived in. My heart is broken to see such devastation.”

Sr Vilma is studying to become a doctor.

Above photographs are used with the kind permission
of La Paz Newspaper - El Salvador

In an email from Sr. Anne Griffin, she says...

“Guadalupe is in the middle of El Salvador and close to one of the main volcanoes. The storm, Ida, brought days of torrential rains to the country and, on Saturday night 7th November, there was an earth tremor. Bridges collapsed, the town was flooded and houses were destroyed. Electricity was lost and telephone lines severed. Some people were pulled out from the rubble but there were deaths and some people have not yet been found. Huge boulders and great holes infested the 2 roads and access can only be gained by walking the last 5 kilometres through difficult terrain.”

Left: Walter and his family sit where their house used to be. They have also lost their bean, maize and coffee fields. Now they don’t even own the clothes they are wearing.

Right: Walter stands under the remains of a tree that stood in his back garden. The tree was severed by a huge boulder.

Sr Anne continued...

Today I went with Eric and Ronan and two local men to Guadalupe, where Vilma is from. Thanks to a good four wheel drive we managed to arrive but the last few kilometers were not only difficult to drive but were shocking to see. There are piles of mud and huge rocks higher than the car, the whole landscape has been washed away taking houses, fields, coffee plantations, the roads and of course many lives. Many are still missing. The town, and others around it, are still without electricity and water. There are huge earth moving machines trying to clear ways through the devastation. We met with the parish priest, father Orlando, who is trying to help coordinate some of the relief work, he told us that probably the biggest need at the moment is to offer some hope to the families who have lost their homes and the land that they lived on. There is some immediate relief arriving in to the town now that a way has been cleared but many families, about 150, are in emergency shelters in the two town's schools and the church hall.


	The people met us and took us to see where their houses were and we were shocked to see no sign of anything in many of the sites and I took some photos which I will try to send on. I was there about two hours when Vilma arrived with some of the doctors from the university where she studies medicine and also some of her student friends. We managed to visit her family who, thank God, were not affected by the rock and mud slide. Her little nephew, Mauricio, who is three has adopted me as a great aunt so gave me a wonderful welcome - good job we remembered something for him too.

	I spoke to Barbara, on the way home, [Sr Barbara lives in Tamanique in El Salvador] and she will take on the job of trying to get the mayor to find some land for the people who we now are happy to have established a good relationship with. Father Orlando will be our main man to see that those who are in most need will receive it. Anne ends her message: Please keep up the prayers as that way we can surely do our little bit for the love of the Sacred Heart and the congregation. Love and prayers to you all Anne




Above: Sr. Anne visits Guadaloupe: This man lived here with his wife and child - they have lost everything. It is very hard to recognise that the whole landscape has been changed so much and that so much has been destroyed.

		To read more about our missions in El Salvador please click here

	To obtain further information about this urgent appeal please click here to be taken to our Contact details


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