SAN SALVADOR (AP) — The Civil Protection authorities of El Salvador issued a red alert throughout the country on Sunday due to the increase in rains, which have affected it since Friday and which, according to official information, have already claimed the lives of at least three people. .
Civil Protection reported on the social network
“Given these conditions, greater accumulated rainfall is expected and two low pressures located in Guatemala are monitored, one of them is likely to be a tropical depression in the middle of next week,” adds the official report.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources warned of the “very high” probability of urban flooding and flash floods that could cause river overflows.
In addition, there is a “HIGH (60%-80%)” probability of landslides and rock falls, affecting roads and highways, especially in the mountainous areas of the north of the country, as well as in the metropolitan area of San Salvador and volcanic areas. important.
The Minister of the Environment, Fernando López, declared at a press conference that the soils are already saturated with moisture.
“In points like the San Miguel volcano there are 216 millimeters and (in) Jucuarán, 246. These accumulated amounts are equivalent to 10-11% of the annual average rainfall,” he said.
The director of Civil Protection, Luis Alonso Amaya, reported that they have enabled 100 “pre-equipped” shelters nationwide. Five of them are active and house more than 66 families.
Amaya urged the population to comply with the calls of the authorities when they ask them to evacuate, because the priority of President Nayib Bukele’s government is to “safeguard the lives of Salvadorans.”
The rains caused two deaths of children on the island of Meanguera del Golfo, in the department of La Unión, in the eastern part of the country. A wall collapsed while the little ones were in their room. On Saturday, another person died after being covered in dirt.
According to the Regulations of the Civil Protection Law, the red alert is activated when the event has had a “severe” impact, producing a disaster situation.
By issuing a red alert, the authorities can have “all the resources that the State needs.” According to the regulations, the resources will be used to provide security and safeguard the affected or at-risk population.
For its part, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology suspended in-person classes for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday due to the rains.
The president of the Legislative Assembly, Ernesto Castro, urgently summoned the deputies in order for them to participate in an extraordinary session on this situation.
