wfn.org | [ENS] Flooding devastates Central American communities,

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from Episcopal News Service

October 10, 2005 -- Monday Mission

Flooding devastates Central American communities, ERD responds

[ENS, Source: ERD] A week of heavy rains and massive flooding caused by
Hurricane Stan has devastated communities throughout Central America
including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The storm has
also affected parts of southern Mexico. Hundreds of people have been
killed
and thousands more are missing and displaced around the region.

Torrential rains also have triggered deadly mudslides in El Salvador and
Guatemala. In Guatemala, more than 500 people have been killed. Several
communities have been buried completely by landslides. More than 70
people
have been killed and an estimated 65,000 people are homeless in El
Salvador.
Twelve rural villages were completely destroyed. The government has
declared
75 percent of the Salvadoran territory at risk.

"The rain has caused damage nationwide; even more than that which was
caused
in the country by Hurricane Mitch in 1998," said the Most Rev. Martín
Barahona, Primate of the Anglican Church of Central America (IARCA) and
Bishop of El Salvador. "Seventy-eight percent of our road system has
been
damaged and crops have also largely been damaged. Rivers and streams,
both
in the capital and elsewhere, are overflowing their banks, taking with
them
many homes of those who live in extreme poverty. In addition, mudslides
have
buried many houses, sometimes with families inside."

Two other natural disasters have hit the Central American region. On
Friday,
a 5.8 magnitude earthquake rocked both El Salvador and Guatemala. On
October
1, El Salvador's highest volcano, Ilamatepec, erupted, killing two
people
and forcing thousands to flee. The volcano is centered 40 miles west of
the
capital, San Salvador.

Partnering with the Anglican Episcopal Church of El Salvador and the
Asociación Mangle, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is providing
emergency assistance including food, medicine, shelter, and other basic
necessities to more than 40,000 displaced people. ERD is in
communication
with the Dioceses of Guatemala and Honduras and will send additional aid
in
the next few days.

"We are responding to needs of displaced people impacted by massive
flooding
and we will continue monitoring developments in Central America," said
Abagail Nelson, ERD's vice president of Program. "Advantageously, we
have
established long-term relationships with dioceses in the region and
Asociación Mangle, an agency ERD has been working with on disaster
mitigation, food security, and primary health programs after the 2001
earthquakes in El Salvador."

To help people affected by disasters, make a donation to the Emergency
Relief Fund at www.er-d.org, or call 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts
can be
mailed to Episcopal Relief and Development, Emergency Relief Fund, PO
Box
12043, Newark, NJ 07101.

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