UN Agencies launch a six-month recovery programme for El Salvador

IHA/01/1
The United Nations will today launch an Inter-Agency Appeal for humanitarian assistance and initial rehabilitation for $ 34.9 million to address the devastation caused by the powerful earthquake, of a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale, which hit El Salvador on 13 January 2001.

The appeal will be launched in San Salvador at 9:00 a.m. local time, 4 p.m. Geneva time.

This earthquake has been one more tragic event in a country which has already suffered the consequences of a long-lasting armed conflict from 1978 to 1992 and which has been devastated by natural phenomena such as hurricanes 'Fifi' and 'Mitch', in 1974 and 1998 respectively, and the earthquake of 1986. All these events emphasized the poverty and vulnerability to which more than half of the population of El Salvador is constantly being exposed.

The devastating impact of this last earthquake on the livelihood of the Salvadorian population, in particular those living in the departments of Santa Tecla, Usulután and Comaságua, as well as on the economy of the country, is well visible and documented. Provisional data indicate that 726 people lost their lives, while 4,440 were injured and more than a million were affected. Moreover, some 200,000 houses were damaged or totally destroyed with an overall damage in infrastructure tentatively valued, at this stage, at $ 1 billion.

Today's appeal, which was prepared by FAO, PAHO/WHO, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and OCHA jointly with the Government, municipalities and the civil society, intends to mobilize funds for relief and initial rehabilitation activities targeting 200,000 people for a period of six months from February to July 2001. This appeal focuses on the sectors of food, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, cattle and fisheries, and housing, and it is directed towards the most vulnerable groups like women and children. Low cost housing with appropriate technology and reactivation of the basic family economy have been given priority attention.

The national and international response to this emergency has been generous so far. Two weeks after the earthquake, contributions for a total of $ 35 million were reported to OCHA by governments and institutions. Yet, much more has to be done to demonstrate full support to El Salvador in its rehabilitation efforts. The attention and support of the international community is now more than ever required, at a stage when humanitarian assistance is needed for thousands of people still without a shelter. Special attention from the international community should continue unabated during the difficult rehabilitation and reconstruction phase.

The United Nations expresses its hopes that donors will respond positively and generously to this appeal as they did it in the past, in order to help this country and its people to recover from this terrible tragedy.

For further information, please contact: Phyllis Lee (tel.: 9634832) in New York or Donato Kiniger-Passigli (tel.: 9172653) in Geneva.