Recovery Efforts Underway Following El Salvador Earthquake

Compassion International
Thursday, 25 January 2001

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO., January 25, 2001- Compassion's country staff in El Salvador is in the midst of relief and recovery efforts following an earthquake, measuring 7.6 in magnitude, which shook the Central American nation on Saturday, January 13. Nationwide, news sources have reported as many as 700 deaths, 4,000 injuries, one million people left homeless, and 200,000 homes either damaged or destroyed by the quake. Salvadoran President Francisco Flores recently announced that the search for survivors will likely end in the next several days unless other lives are found soon. To date, there has been one casualty reported among Compassion's assisted children, staff, and church partners-a six-year-old sponsored girl who lived a short distance from San Salvador, near the earthquake's epicenter.

President Flores has appointed the Conesal as the primary conduit for outside Christian support during the crisis. The Conesal is a 50+ member network of international Christian organizations that includes Compassion International. Compassion's El Salvador Country Director Wilfredo Luna is leading the relief efforts on behalf of Compassion and the Conesal. The network is providing essential supplies, including drinking water and food, via 25 relief centers. According to the latest report issued by the ministry's El Salvador office, 27 Compassion-assisted projects have sustained losses due to the earthquake, including facilities and residences that have been damaged or destroyed, persisting communications outages, damaged roads and infrastructure, and shortages of food, water, and medical supplies. Donations are being accepted through Compassion's Disaster Relief Fund to assist with the restoration campaign.

Donations are being accepted for Compassion's Disaster Relief Fund. Compassion International can be reached at 3955 Cragwood Drive, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918, or by phone at 800-336-7676. Click here to give online.

Compassion has served in the country of El Salvador since 1977 and now assists more than 9,700 children through 76 church-based projects. Compassion has worked in Guatemala since 1976 and presently assists more than 15,000 children through 101 church-based projects.

For more information, or to contact Compassion International, see their website at: www.compassion.com