Tropical Storm Amanda and Tropical Storm Cristobal struck El Salvador in quick succession between 31 May and 6 June, causing intense rain, high winds and significant flooding damage. Many areas received upwards of 500mm of rain, with some areas recording as much as 800mm, almost equivalent to the rainfall recorded in The Bahamas during Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
Civil Protection reports that they have responded to more than 2,000 incidents across the country that have affected nearly 30,000 families (almost 150,000 people), while leaving 27 dead.
The storms come as El Salvador, home to 643,000 people in need according to the recent regional Humanitarian Needs Overview, continues to deal with the COVID-19 crisis that is compounding existing vulnerabilities. WFP estimates that there are some 350,000 food-insecure people in the hardest hit municipalities.
These events are severely straining response resources and capacities in El Salvador, prompting requests for international assistance.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.