Update I: CRIPDES Communities Affected by Tropical Storm

 October, 17, 2011

The storm has caused severe flooding in the CRIPDES Regions of San Vicente, La Libertad and Northern San Salvador, as well as in the regions of Achuachapan, La Paz, Sonsonate and Usulutan.

Many CRIPDES communities have been affected by the flooding and landslides:

La Libertad:

According to El Faro La Libertad has been the region most affected by the storms. Many communities have flooded, entire bridges and roads have been washed out and there are 10-15 buried in a landslide in Cuidad Arce. 

There are currently 556 people in temporary shelters in the municipalities of La Libertad and Teotepeque.

In El Charcon 32 people have been evacuated to two different shelters.

CRIPDES has not been able to visit Chilama because the road has been washed out by a landslide. However, they are in phone communication with the directiva, who report that homes have been flooded.  There are currently 8 families in temporary shelter in the community center. 

 

San Vicente:

There are currently 1,759 people in temporary shelters in San Vicente. Almost all of the coastal communities have been evacuated.

The majority of flooding San Vicente is due to rain combined with the hydro-electric company (CEL) releasing water from their dam on the Lempa River. That combination has proved deadly for the communities farthest down the river because the increased water made the levy overflow.

The evacuated communities are as following:

Las Anonas 215 people

Rancho Grande 169 people

Taura 46 people

Santa Marta 1 252 people

San Bartolo 212 people

Entre Puente 90 people

Brisas de Lempa 1 61 people

San Carlos 37 people

La Sabana 170 people

El Coyol 165 people

El Porvenir 92 people

El Pacun 73 people

Nueva Concepcion 85 people

La Pita 93 people

 

San Salvador:

In communities of El Paisnal and the municipality of Tacachico there has been flooding caused by the Rio Sucio overflowing. Marcos (the President of CRIPDES and native of Huisisilapa in Tacachico) says this is the first time in the history of the community that the river has overflown and reached the town of Huisisilapa.  People in the communities of Huisisilapa and William Fuentes, including Marcos, are stranded due to the fact that the roads are completely impassable.

UCRES (the regional branch of CRIPDES) estimates that more than 1800 people in the area have been directly affected by the destruction caused to the local water systems. People have been left with out potable water and UCRES says they have already seen the levels of water born diseases begin to rise.

Chalatenango:

The Radio Sumpul has reported:

Parts of the municipality of Arcatao had to be evacuated because of rivers overflowing. Specifically, the community of Las Vegas has had to be evacuated.

The community of El Coyolito had to be evacuated because of its proximity to the Lempa River.

Many families in Guarjila have lost their crops.

The community of San Fernando has lost 100% of its bean and corn crops.