Salvadoreans recall years of government neglect in the face of another natural disaster
Interview with Sofia Grande in San Salvador
By Pablo Vivanco
There are many enduring images from the Presidency of George W Bush. Among those are the scenes of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina that showed to many the extent to which the government had abandoned its citizens.
El Salvador has had many of those experiences under the right wing governments of the Republican Nationalist Alliance (ARENA) that governed from 1989 to 2009. During this period, thousands of Salvadoreans died in periodic tropical storms. Even though the ARENA party is no longer governing, the impacts of their government and its inaction are felt. This November, El Salvador was once again hit by a tropical storm killing approximately 200.
Sofia Grande is a journalist and coordinator of Radio Voces Latinas 1610AM, Canada’s only Spanish language radio. Sofia is also a former reporter with Mayavision, San Salvador’s major progressive radio station. Sofia is in El Salvador and has been to affected areas as part of the rebuilding efforts.
What parts of El Salvador have been affected?
Of 14 departments in El Salvador, 5 have been the most affected: San Salvador, San Vicente, La Paz, La Libertad and Cuscatlan.
The National Civil Protection System reported on Monday that the death toll from floods and mudslides that devastated El Salvador on the 7 and 8 of November has risen to 194, while 80 remain missing and dozens of houses were still partially buried in mud and stones.
Aside from the immediate destruction, what are the long term impacts of this flooding?
El Salvador has lived through previous years earthquakes, tropical storms and many other natural disasters. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch left more than 125 deaths and Hurricane Stan in 2005 left more than 65 thousand people homeless – now Hurricane IDA is increasing the state of vulnerability in which we live.
All of these events are seen as not impacting long term but short term, according to studies by the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Public Works. However municipalities are being evaluated due to the danger of new landslides, as is the case in St. Vincent Verapaz, and this tells us that there is a big housing problem.
There are 223 homes completely destroyed which require the immediate provision of housing to the occupants of these. Also, this destruction will result in increased hardship and that poverty for the immediately affected as well as other families due to loss of their agricultural jobs. This indicates the absence of sources of work in El Salvador that increases the poverty and vulnerability of life for Salvadorans in the short and long term.
It is also necessary to mention the environmental damage that have impacted major rivers and volcanoes currently being analyzed for degradation, its danger to the environment and therefore to all Salvadorans.
A report of the Permanent Bureau and Risk Management (MPGR) released in May this year, noted that 75% of the country is exposed to some type of natural hazard.
According to the document, “Over the past 20 years, El Salvador has recorded 12 major disasters that have meant more than 4.332 dead, 2,760,659 homeless, and 3953.5 million in losses. The people most impacted are women and girls due to the vulnerability.”
El Salvador is regularly affected by tropical storms. How has the response of the new FMLN government been different than the responses under ARENA governments?
The level of vulnerability of El Salvador has been known for many decades and in all events the previous governments have not been proactive or given alternative housing for those living in high risk areas, which is why every storm, hurricane or earthquake causes a high number of deaths.
In this year the new government is doing against all it can to address these matters and President Mauricio Funes is working hard to resolve the problems wrought by this devastation as soon as possible, but he also recognizes these events originate from a longstanding stream of problems.
“The drama that we are currently addressing is a product of the precariousness that many areas of the country find themselves in due to the mitigation and prevention of risks that for years have been demanded but were never acted upon” said President Funes in reference to the previous governments of the Republican Nationalist Alliance (ARENA) that were defeated in last years elections after governing for 20 years.
“It’s a story that recurs every winter, but that must end once and for all,” he added.
Accordingly the Government’s response has indicated that the funds currently approved by the Legislature will be available to address this national emergency and a restoration team that has been created to attend to every one of the affected families.
In addition, a second disbursement is expected Tuesday or Wednesday of $5 million of the $90 million that has been allocated to the Ministry of Public Works. Last week, the Legislature approved a diversion of $150 million intended to for investment into the Anti-Crisis Plan to be used in emergency and reconstruction work.
The problems of natural disasters are magnified in the country because on one hand, there is serious environmental degradation, and secondly, there have not been policies to help people out of poverty and social exclusion. Often the victims are poor and living dangerously on the edge of rivers or below the hills.
The most affected have been the rural poor. Is the new government planning on improving infrastructure in these areas?
Although El Salvador constantly suffers from natural disasters, after which there are reports and studies that indicate the need to improve, for example, an early warning system, that system almost never works when needed.
For this reason, the Government of Mauricio Funes in his remarks mentioned that they are working not only for infrastructure to the thousands who have been affected but also to repair the farm system that has been damaged and to create more jobs for the Salvadorean population.
Is there a credible foundation or charity that people in Canada can donate to help out?
Humanitarian aid has arrived in El Salvador from different world countries, including Taiwan, Spain, Venezuela, Mexico, Brasil and others.
Canada is already in the list of countries giving humanitarian aid through the Caravan of Hope that is an entity that since 2001 has worked to bring hope and aid to countries that have been affected by various forms of natural disaster and poverty.
The Caravan of Hope and Radio Voces Latinas led by Father Hernan Astudillo in Toronto Canada is working to send economic aid to thousands affected by the Hurricane IDA.
If you want to contribute to this cause please contact:
La Caravana de la Esperanza
2981 Dufferin Street
Toronto ON M6B 3T4 Canada
Tel: 416.782.2953 x 226
Fax: 416.782.1219