ReliefWeb

A. Situation analysis

Description of the disaster

Last winter, a 1,007-millibar low-pressure system off El Salvador's coast combined with a second 1,010-millibar system that affected Nicaragua's Caribbean coast brought heavy rainfall from both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea to El Salvador and caused an Intertropical Convergence Zone in Central America. These systems increased rainfall and caused storm conditions from 13 to 17 October 2019. The continuous rains caused slopes to collapse, rockslides, landslides and brought down trees, disrupting the road system.

Worsening storm conditions made it necessary to discharge water from hydroelectric dams on 15 October, causing flooding in the Bajo Lempa, mainly in the municipalities of Tecoluca in San Vicente department and Jiquilisco in Usulután department, that directly affected the livelihoods, trade, and extensive and subsistence agriculture of 5,000 families in that area of impact. There are 4 people who died from these storms.

In the Department of San Salvador, 14 homes were destroyed and a total of 166 families had to be evacuated. The government carried out an assessment of the condition of the homes and many will have to be demolished.

The situation in St. Lucia has improved substantially with the cash distribution that took place before the holiday season, bringing significant relief to families in crisis. Displaced families are still unable to return to their homes. In Bajo Lempa, the situation has normalized, and families have recovered from the flood damage.

Summary of the response

Overview of Host National Society

As part of its auxiliary role to public authorities in the humanitarian field, SRCS collaborated in preventive actions with the Civil Protection System. It assisted with preventive evacuations in flood areas along the coast and in Jiquilisco and Puerto Parada in Usulután, in Zacatecoluca in La Paz, and San José Villanueva in La Libertad departments; rapid water rescue efforts and evacuations in flooded areas in these same municipalities; as well as with search and rescue of people buried in Colonia Bella Vista, Chiltiupan and Soyapango.

In addition to the support provided by administrative staff, a total of 110 volunteers from different SRCS structures participated in this operation.

SRCS actions are governed by the Civil Protection and Disaster Mitigation Law, cooperation agreements, and its National Response Plan and its procedures. An EOC with its respective sectors was established and activated, and the third directors are directly responsible for disaster response and management in National Society branches.

Three situational reports were submitted via the GO platform, six status reports were prepared and the IFRC regional coordinator and the risk focal point were kept apprised of the situation.

Seventeen damage assessments and needs analyses (DANA) were carried out in both the eastern and western parts of the country. Coordination meetings were held with local government authorities in the municipalities involved. The National Society was represented in Humanitarian Country Team.

Since the beginning of the operation, the COE (emergency operation centre) has been activated and has been functioning constantly. At the COE, reports are prepared, and assessment, rescue and response teams and the ambulance service are managed.