Total Damage from E-12 Storm in E.S.

            Almost one week has passed since the E-12 officially ended in El Salvador. Now that the torrential rains have stopped, the Civil Protection along with government officials, have begun to asses the damage and construct a recovery plan.

            According to El Faro, the recorded number of displaced refugees has reached 52,000 the majority staying in one of 566 shelters, and the death count remains the same at 32. As a result of this, all classes are suspended throughout El Salvador because many of the shelters are located in public school facilities.

 In addition to this, the main highway to the west of the country from San Salvador has been closed due to landslides. Other smaller roads have been closed, as well as 15 bridges damaged and 5 completely destroyed from currents.

La Prensa Grafica reports that the UN has requested that 15.7 million be raised between October 2011 and April of 2012 to assist the 300,000 Salvadorans that have been affected. The UN has also expressed concern for the health of Salvadorans, as 69% of the population has been affected and water related diseases are spreading.

            Another area that has suffered greatly from this storm is the Agricultural/ Economic sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture has released its statistical records of the damage (El Mundo): 

• 35% of domestically produced grains have been destroyed
• 7 million bushels have been affected, 1.6 million of which are non-recoverable

• 987,890 bushels of corn, 134,267 apples, 339,835 bushels of beans lost
• 21,352 cattle lost
• 35,570 poultry lost
• 4,279 hives spoiled
• 265 acres of fish ponds affected (26% of total production)
• 29% of fruit production affected (mainly bananas and papayas)
• 6.111 acres of sugar cane damaged (expected to lower production by 20%)

          The direct damage is estimated to be 650 million dollars. However, once indirect costs are included the total economic damage raises to slightly over 1 billion dollars. According to El Faro, this is more than double the damage caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998: “That hurricane left 260 million in losses for over a decade was considered the most damaging natural phenomenon. He left 240 dead and the maximum level of accumulated rainfall was 860 millimeters.” This maximum rain recorded from this E-12 storm was 1513mm in Huizucar Station, La Libertad.

More on plans for recovery and the recovery process soon to come.