Women in the day care center huddled with frightened children and looked out the window to see the detached kitchen's roof fall in. Everyone was worried about the earthquake. Even the adults had problems. The two-room center sustained only minimal damage except for the kitchen, which must be rebuilt. The health center, down the street, looks intact, but a light touch on the outside wall moves it on the foundation.
Closer inspection shows cracks in the cement joints and walls.
The health center will need major repairs. The reading center seems to have fared well and remains usable. The foundation on the community center did not crack. The most devastating structural blow came to homes. Only six of the 106 remains habitable, said Carmen Argueta, head of the Amando Lopez Women's Committee.