Appeal launched for ravaged country

By Rebecca Fraser
ALBERTO Lopez migrated to Australia from El Salvador 16 years ago but has never forgotten his homeland.
Nor has the Narre Warren resident forgotten the suffering or plight of the El Salvadorean people recently devastated by three natural disasters.
This month the chairperson of the Salvadorean Community Council of Victoria (SCCV) helped launch an appeal to provide humanitarian aid to the 100,000 people badly affected and displaced by the disasters in Central America.
Mr Lopez, 44, said he returned home six years ago and still kept in contact with many family and friends.
He said El Salvador had been left reeling by the three disasters — a hurricane, an earthquake and a volcano eruption — and were in desperate need of help.
“On 2 October the Santa Ana volcano erupted triggering the evacuation of 10,000 people in the Santa Ana and Sonsonate regions.
“This caused enormous damage and loss of life.
“In addition heavy rains from Hurricane Stan drenched El Salvador dumping 14 inches causing extensive deforestation and leaving El Salvador vulnerable to landslides, flooding and heavy rains.
“According to news reports more than 400 people died and 100,000 have been evacuated and have been directly affected,” he said.
Mr Lopez, a father two, said that exactly one week later another earthquake severely shook El Salvador before authorities had finished accounting for the missing.
“Four thousand five hundred and twenty people have been injured and an estimated 15 per cent of the country is without permanent shelter,” he said.
Mr Lopez said the SCCV had responded to the latest emergency promptly and was mobilising assistance in the form of hygiene kits as well as water and sanitation equipment.
“It does not matter how much we raise as long as we get something to try and alleviate the suffering,” he said.
Helping out with the effort to raise both awareness and money has been the Ethnic Communities Council of the South East (ECCOSE).
ECCOSE chairman Sam Afra said the media had largely overlooked the disasters in El Salvador.
“We want to help create that awareness in the community to get people to donate clothes or whatever they can to help.”
Donations should be made payable to the Salvadorean Community Council of Victoria Inc, Australia National Bank account no 083802 557638095 or call Alberto Lopez on 0410 548 463.