Immediate El Salvador - On Saturday, January 13 an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude hit El Salvador. As information becomes available the attention of the world is drawn to this small Central American country. The toll may reach or exceed 1,000 with hundreds of people remaining buried beneath mountains of rubble. 2,412 people injured 45,000 houses damaged or destroyed 18,000 people have been evacuated Adults along with children rescued what belongings they could from their houses before they collapsed, and have taken refuge on the sidewalks. Even though the local school was declared a temporary shelter, families have refused to leave their belongings behind for fear of theft.
Transportation is difficult.
The streets are all cracked, bridges have been damaged and landslides have blocked roadways. Electricity has been suspended. Aftershocks continued to rock the country, terrifying residents and knocking more debris onto highways. Many towns were reachable only by helicopter, and little was known about damage or deaths in isolated communities. I am alone.