Rehabilitation Assistance to Flood affected

Tropical Storm ''Adrian'' struck El Salvador on 19 May with winds of up to 150 k/h according to the National Service for Terrestrial Studies (SNET) of El Salvador and the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Waves along the eastern coast of the country increased by 4 - 6 meters above their normal size.

Strong to moderate rains fell across the entire country, especially in the east while strong winds were felt on higher grounds. Tropical Storm "Adrian" reached hurricane force but lost momentum before it hit the Acajutla port area and El Salvador’s International Airport (Pacific). The tropical storm moved over the surrounding areas of the Cerrón Grande water dam located 60 kms north west of San Salvador and moved towards Honduran territory reaching La Ceiba in the Atlantic coast of Honduras in the form of a tropical depression. The storm caused the evacuation of 22,000 people to avoid the threat of mudslides and floods. Flooding occurred in the eastern part of the country due to a discharge of water from a reservoir used for generating electricity.

ACT members in El Salvador, Christian Aid (CAID), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) and the Salvadoran Lutheran Synod (SLS), co-ordinated through the El Salvador ACT Forum, formed various co-ordination committees for logistics, inter-institutional relations and communication. They are proposing assistance to affected families through:

• Food and non food relief assistance

• Psychosocial assistance

• Environmental sanitation

• Disaster preparedness training and provision of supplies.

Project Completion Date:

30 November 2005

Signed by:
White Rakuba
Director, ACT Co-ordinating Office