By Marlene Viche, Public Relations and Communications Department, Salvadorean Red Cross Society
On Saturday night, following heavy rain, cerro La Joyita in Arce City, in La Libertad, could no longer stand the mass of water and finally gave in causing a landslide that buried a number of houses. The landslide took five lives and another five were rescued from under the dirt by members of the Salvadorian Red Cross. They were taken to San Rafael Hospital in Santa Tecla.
Doña Lucía López, lives in cerro La Joyita. “We never though this would happen to us, it pains me to think of what we have been through. Nothing like this had ever happened here not even when it had rained like this before, when we would hear about houses being destroyed in other places,” she said.
“Everything happened so quickly. We were sleeping and we heard a loud noise followed by screams. We saw rocks, pieces of roof, trees and dirt all coming down on us, but sadly not all of us could get away safely. We watched as family and neighbours were buried alive.”
Those who had managed to escape went back to try to find their neighbours but found themselves overwhelmed. Soon, a team from the Salvadorian Red Cross arrived to help, working for several hours to pull people alive from beneath the landslide.
Among those rescued was a young boy who had lost his parents and 13 year old sister. “This is very difficult, and we don’t have the means to give the family a proper burial,” said Doña Lucía López.
One day before the disaster, members of Salvadorian Red Cross warned families about potential landslide and urged them to evacuate their homes while the rains continued. While many left, a number of families decided to sit out the storm.
Ernesto Pacheco, a member of La Joyita’s Communal Association, said many people stayed behind in the hope of protecting their homes. “We never imagined that staying would cost lives. Those of us that remain are now living in a shelter, next to the bodies of our fallen neighbours who died as a result of this tragedy,” he said.
Doña Lucía, visibly shaken, said: “It sadness me that after 12 years of living here, I have lost everything and I don’t know how long we will be here, or where we will go. The children are afraid of returning. On the other hand it pains me to hear our neighbour’s young son who asks me where his parents, house and toys are. He tells me he is afraid and he doesn’t want to be alone anymore. I just don’t have the courage to tell him what happened.”
The rescue lasted 12 hours. Despite the continuing rain, and the risk of another landslide, Red Cross workers continued their search and rescue efforts.
This story has repeated itself countless times across El Salvador due to the constant rains that have affected the country since Tuesday. The Salvadorian Red Cross remains vigilant and ready to respond, recommending that the population heed the warnings and prepare for the risk of disaster.