Red Cross remembers El Salvador's earthquake victims
11 January 2002

The first of a deadly pair of earthquakes struck El Salvador on January 13 last year. It was followed by another on February 13, bringing the overall death toll to 1,259 and leaving 9,000 injured, and thousands homeless.
A year later, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Salvadorean Red Cross are nearing completion of a major rehabilitation programme which has seen 4,500 families re-housed and the erection of 52 classrooms. Psychological support has been provided to 28,000 people traumatised by these events

"Perhaps the most critical lesson we have learned from these earthquakes is the importance of preparedness throughout Central America which is a very disaster-prone region. We have now further strengthened the Pan-American Disaster Response Unit, which allows us to deploy personnel and relief materials within hours of a major disaster event anywhere in the region," says Iain Logan, head of operations for the International Federation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The high profile response of the Salvadorean Red Cross to these disasters has led to an increase in volunteer numbers in the National Society, up from 2,309 to 2,743 over the last twelve months.

"The extraordinary work done by the Salvadorean Red Cross to help earthquake victims has resulted in much increased involvement of Red Cross branches in health and disaster preparedness activities in their communities," says Santiago Gil, head of the Americas Department at the International Federation Secretariat.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer Tel.: + 41 22 730 4346 / +41 79 217 3345

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.