El Salvador
El Salvador - 1.1 Humanitarian Background
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Disasters, Conflicts and Migration 

Natural Disasters

Occurs

Comments / Details

Drought

Yes 6 drought events from 1900-2016 affecting a total of 1,100,000 and causing US$320,400 in damage

Earthquakes

Yes 9 earthquake events from 1900-2016 affecting a total of 2,549,991 and causing US$3,406,500 in damage

Epidemics

Yes

Arbovirus (5 events from 1900 - 2016 the number affected: 13,595)

Bacterial disease (2 events from 1900 - 2016 number affected: 5,975)

Respiratory (1 event from 1900 - 2016 the number affected: 50,000)

Viral Infectious Diseases (Zika) (7 events from 1900 - 2016 the number affected: 30,976)

Extreme Temperatures

Yes 1 Cold Wave event 1900-2016, killed 1 person

Flooding

Yes Flash flooding and general flooding (16 events from 1900 - 2016 affecting 481,842 and causing US$ 1,563,000 in dammage)

Insect Infestation

No n/a

Landslides

Yes 1 event from 1900-2016, killed 22 people

Volcanic Eruptions

Yes 2 ash fall events from 1900-2016 affecting a total of 65,079

High Waves / Surges

Yes 1 Tsunami from 1900-2016, killed 185 people

Wildfires

No n/a

High Winds

Yes

13 Hurricanes (from 1900 - 2016 affecting a total of 266,201 and causing US$ 1,745,410 in damage)

1 Connective Storm (from 1900 - 2016 affecting a total of 20,000)

Man-made 

Civil strife 

Peace treaty signed 1992, ending 12 year civil war.

International conflict 

 

Displaced in country 

1 million people were displaced from certain rural areas to the capital and other safer places during the civil war. However, during 2016 52,560 migrants have returned to El Salvador from other countries (USA, Mexico, etc.) and as from January to July 2017, 16,847 migrants have returned to the country (59.5% from USA, 40.2% from Mexico and 0.3% from other countries.) 

Refugees in country 

People in shelters: in total 559,728. 466,000 during Hurricane Mitch (1998); 68,777 during 13 January 2001 earthquake; and 44,951 in the tropical storms in 2011 (Ida, Agatha, Alex, Matthew, Tropical Depression No. 16 Nicole and E12). 

Refugees from country 

No records available. 

Landmines casualties / year 

Mine clearance was carried out in 1993 and 1994 by former combatants from both sides of the conflict. No accidents involving landmines have been reported since 1994, although some accidents from UXO have occurred - from January 1994 through mid-1995, 271 people, including 42 children, were injured by UXO. 

Other comments 

 

 Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters, Belgium.

 

El Salvador is extremely prone to natural disasters. It ranks among the ten most vulnerable countries to natural hazards in the world (CRED/OFDA), and is rated first by the World Bank in terms of overall vulnerability based on Economic Risk to GDP from two or more natural hazards (WB, 2005). Nearly 90 percent of total country area is at risk of disaster, representing over 95 percent of the population and 96 percent of GDP. In the past 11 years, the country suffered three major disasters which impacted thousands and severely hampered economic progress. Two major earthquakes in 2001 affected 1.5 million people with economic losses of US$ 1.6 billion. In 2005, the country was simultaneously affected by the eruption of the Ilamatepec Volcano and tropical storm Stan; the total impact of the two phenomena was US$355.6 million (with US$196.2 million in damages and US$159.5 million in losses). In 2011, Tropical Depression 12E hit El Salvador, affecting more than 0.5 million people and causing US$840 million in damages and losses. 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities 

Seasonal Effects on Transport 

Transport 

Time

Comments 

Primary road transport 

Wet season from May to November 

Transport is affected during the rainy seasons as rivers flood and some primary and secondary roads suffer severe deterioration, leaving some communities cut off. 

Secondary road transport 

 Wet season from May to November 

Transport is affected during the rainy season as rivers flood and secondary roads suffer severe deterioration, leaving some communities cut off. 

Rail transport 

 

This type of transportation does not exist in the country.  

Air transport 

Wet season from May to November 

Air transport could be affected during the rainy seasons due to the lack of visibility. 

Waterways transport 

Wet season from May to November 

Waterways transport could be affected during the rainy due to the lack of visibility. 

 

Seasonal affects on storage and handling

Activity 

Time

Comments 

Storage 

From April to November 

The accessibility to the storage facilities could be hampered due to floods or landslides. Therefore, cargo has to be properly protected from the departure point onwards. 

Handling 

From April to May 

Sea currents occasionally affect the port operations at Acajutla, ships need to abandon their berths to avoid collisions. The rainy season also affects break bulk/bulk cargo discharge at Acajutla. During the rainy season, overland transporters should be reminded that tarpaulins need to be in good state.  

Other 

 

No potential risk identified 

 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government  

The government has since 2009 changed some of the former structures. WFP's main counterpart in Supply Chain is SIS/DAA (Secretaría de Inclusión Social/División de Asistencia Alimentaria – Secretariat for Social Inclusion/Food Assistance Division), responsible for warehouse management and staffing.   

The Government of El Salvador’s (GoES) response to the tropical storms (Agatha, Alex, and E12) can be seen as a step forward compared with previous emergencies (i.e. lesson learned from Ida and E12). The Government had available in its warehouses relief items (mattress, clothes, hygiene kits, medical kits, etc.) and food rations to assist the affected populations. The humanitarian community also provided support in terms of food assistance (WFP and others). The capacity of response has to be improved in view of possible major emergencies, especially in the area of coordination with all actors involved in the response. The humanitarian community, in coordination with GoES’ Civil Protection, has initiated the creation of a humanitarian network, which is currently ongoing. 

The Coordination Center for Disaster Prevention in Latin America (CEPREDENAC as per Spanish acronym), is a regional inter-governmental entity, working under the Central America Integration System (SICA as per Spanish acronym) as a specialised secretariat. It has been created with the mandate of promoting activities, projects and programmes focused on reduction of risks during natural disasters. The Center promotes and coordinates the international cooperation, information sharing, with the exchange of experiences and technical/scientific evaluations regarding prevention, mitigation and emergency response. 

Ministry / Department / Address 

Contact Names / Email 

Tel / Fax 

Website 

Government Agency Dealing With Emergency Relief and/or Disaster Management: Civil Protection 

Ministerio de Gobernación y Desarrollo Territorial, Centro de Gobierno, San Salvador, El Salvador 

Name: Mr. Jorge Antonio Meléndez 

Title: Director 

Email: director@proteccioncivil.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2527-7122  
Fax: (503) 2527-7123   
Cell.: (503) 7070-3354 

www.proteccioncivil.gob.sv 

 

Principal Interacting Government Official/ Division Of Food Aid Assistance- Social Inclusion Secretariat/ SIS/DAA   

17 Avenida Norte, Centro Gobierno Edif.# 1, San Salvador, El Salvador 

 

Name: Ms. Wendy Rogel de Fuentes 

Title: Director  

Email: wdefuentes@inclusionsocial.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2281-0981  

(Direction Office) 

        (503) 2244-2724 

Fax: (503)2281-0058 

        (503) 2264-3152 

www.inclusionsocial.gob.sv 

 

Air Handling Services /Aerodespachos de El Salvador /El Salvador International Airport  

Name: Mr. Jaime Jiménez Cromeyer 

Title: Manager  

Email:j.jimenez@aerodespachos-sal.com 

Tel.: (503) 2243 2557 

 

www.aerodespachos-sal.com 

 

Principal Port Authority - Port Manager  Puerto de Acajutla   

 

 

Name: Mr, Roberto de Jesús Mendoza 

Title:      Port Manager  

Email: roberto.mendoza@cepa.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2429-3201 

Tel.: (503) 2429-3384 

Fax: (503) 2405-3390 

www.cepa.gob.sv 

 

Air Cargo Operations Ilopango 

 

Name: Mr. Jorge Gómez 

Title:    Head of Operations 

Email: Jorge.gomez@ccepa.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2250-9300 

Fax: (503) 2250-9333 

 

www.cepa.gob.sv 

 

Principal Government International Airport of El Salvador 

Name: Mr. Jaime Parada 

Title:     Airport Manager 

jaime.parada@cepa.gob.sv 

blanca.velasco@cepa.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2349-2200 

Tel.  (503) 2349-2201 

Fax: (503) 2397-2393 

 

www.aeropuertoelsalvador.gob.sv 

 

Principal Government Aviation Traffic Authority, International Airport of El Salvador, San Luis Talpa, La Paz 

Name: Rene Lopez 

Title: Chief AIES 

Email: Rene.lopez@cepa.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2366-2441 

Fax: (503) 2366-2464 

 

Principal aviation military and/or civil defense authority  

El Salvador Air Force 

Aeropuerto Ilopango, Kilometro 9 ½,  

Ilopango, El Salvador 

Name: Mr. Carlos Jaime Mena Torres 

Title: Col., Chief of Civil Affairs 

Department: Air Force 

Name: Jorge Gómez 

Title: Chief Airport Operations 

Email: Jorge.gomez@cepa.gob.sv 

Tel.: (503) 2250-0070 

        (503) 2508-0226 

Fax: (503) 2250-0319 

 

 

www.fas.gob.sv 

 

Humanitarian Community 

A Contingency Plan preparing for floods and landslides caused by hurricanes and rainfall was developed between June and November in 2006. This was updated in 2007, 2008 and it is being re-drafted in 2017. This plan has been prepared by the United Nations Emergency Team (UNETE) which is composed by the main UN actors involved in emergency response (WFP, FAO, UNICEF, IOM, WHO, UNDP, UNFPA, OCHA). UNETE members are fully involved in the establishment of the Humanitarian Network for El Salvador together with some NGOs (CARE, OXFAM, Plan International, CRS, Lutheran World Federation, WVI, Save the Children), the National Red Cross and National Civil Protection. WFP in El Salvador developed the Central American Early Warning System (SATCA) to monitor weather hazards. This is a tool that has provided timely and consolidated information on natural events in the region. 

The following web resources have been established to support a humanitarian response in terms of preparedness and emergency response: 

SATCA website Central America Early Warning System to monitor weather hazards 

Redhum - Latin America Humanitarian Information Network 

Humanitarian Coordination 

Type 

Name / Address 

Contacts 

Comments 

HCRC 

Mr. Andrew Stanhope 

Address: Edif. Naciones Unidas, Blvd. Orden de Malta Sur, #2-B, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador. 

Tel. (503) 2263-0066 

Fax (503) 2209-3588 

Email: andrew.stanhope@wfp.org 

UN System Resident Coordinator, OIC 

Leading agency for:  

1) Programming (PMT) and  

2) Monitoring & Evaluation (GTME) 

Alternate leading agency for Communications (GICOM) 

Coordination mechanisms / committees / Groups 

Org. Name 

Contact / Address 

Contacts 

Comments 

 

 

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME – UNDP/PNUD 

 

 

Representative: 

Ms. Georgiana Braga-Orillard 

EdifNaciones Unidas, Blvd. Orden de Malta Sur, #2-B, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador. 

 

Tel. (503) 2209-3503 

Fax (503) 2209-3590 

Email: georgina.braga@undp.org   

 

Leading agency for:

1) Citizen security and violence prevention, and  

2) Operations (OMT) 

Alternate leading agency for: 

1) Democratic governance and state´s modernization, and 

2) Environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction  

 

UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME – WFP / PMA 

 

Representative: Mr. Andrew Stanhope 

Blv.el Hipódromo No.738 

Colonia San Benito  

San Salvador, El Salvador, Centro América. 

Apartado Postal No.114 

 

Tel. (503) 2263-6144,  

Fax (503) 2510-7142 

Email: Andrew.stanhope@wfp.org  

Leading agency for  emergencies (UNETE) 

Alternate leading agency for: 

1) SAN, and  

2) Operations (OMT) 

 

UNITED NATIONS  FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION - FAO 

 

Representative: Mr. Diego Recalde 

Boulevard del Hipódromo No. 110. Colonia San Benito, Zona Rosa San Salvador 

Tel.  (503) 2264 – 2326 ext: 106 

Tel 2. (503) 2264 - 4064 

Fax: (503) 2264-3887 

Email: diego.recalde@fao.org  

Leading agency for environmental sustainability and disaster risk reduction  

Alternate leading agency for inclusion economic development and employment 

Pan-American Health Organization – PAHO/OPS 

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHO/OMS 

Representative: Dr. Carlos Roberto Garzón. 

73 Av. Sur No.135, Colonia Escalón, San Salvador, El Salvador. 

Tel. (503) 2511-9502 

Fax (503) 2298-1168 

Email: garzonc@paho.org 

Leading agency for HIV/AIDS and SAN 

Alternate leading agency for citizen security and violence prevention.   

 

 

UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN´S EMERGENCY FUND - UNICEF 

 

 

 

RepresentativeRose Nadine Perrault 

Blvd. Santa Elena, Calle Alegría, Edificio Interalia, 4to. Piso, Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad. 

 

Tel.   (503) 2252-8800/02 

Fax   (503) 2252-8811 

Email: nperrault@unicef.org 

jlewis@unicef.org 

Leading agency for: 

1) Democratic governance and state´s modernization & reform, 

2) Communications (GICOM). 

Alternate leading agency for: 

1) Equality, Social inclusion, Poverty Reduction, 

2) Programming (PMT), and 

3) Monitoring & evaluation (GTME) 

UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY - UNDSS 

Security Adviser: Mr. Luis Castro 

EdifNaciones Unidas, Blvd. Orden de Malta Sur, #2-B, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador. 

Tel.  503) 2251-9500 or 9560 

Fax  (503) 2209-3615 

Email: luis.castro@undss.org  

 

 

UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND - UNFPA 

 

 

Representative: Mr. Hugo Gonzalez 

Edif. AVANTE, 10 nivel, Urb. Madre Selva. Santa Elena. Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad. El Salvador.  

 

Tel.  (503) 2246-5800 

Fax  (503) 2246-5823 

Email: hgonzalez@unfpa.org 

Leading agency for: 

1) Equality, Social inclusion, Poverty Reduction, and  

2) Gender 

 

UNITED NATIONS FOR PROJECT SERVICES -UNOPS 

 

Directora y Representante: MrsAlexandra Kianman 

Colonia San Benito y Calle N° 1, Casa N° 121, entre Calle La Mascota y Calle Loma Linda, San Salvador 

Tel. (503) 2506-3900 or 3917 

Fax: (503) 22 63 44 82 

Email: AlexandraK@unops.org   

Mission: aid people in need through UN efforts and associated Government agencies.  

Vision: promote promote sustainable practices

Value: present services to others

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION – ILO/OIT 

Principal Technical Adviser Mr. Jesús de la Peña 

Avenida José Matías Delgado No 345, Colonia Escalón, San Salvador 

Tel. (503)2263-7442 

Fax (503)2263-7008 

Email: delapena@ilo.org  

Leading agency for inclusion economic development and employment 

UNAIDS/ONUSIDA 

Director: Dra. Celina Miranda 

Edif. Naciones Unidas, Blvd. Orden de Malta Sur, #2-B, Antiguo Cuscatlán, La Libertad, El Salvador. 

Tel. (503) 2209-3591 

Fax. (503) 2209 3588 

Email: mirandace@unaids.org 

Alternate leading agency for HIV/AIDS 

 

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION – IOM 

Head of Mission Mr. Jorge Peraza 

Urb. Madre Selva, Pje. H #5, Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatlan. La Libertad. 

Tel. (503) 2521-0531 

Fax (503) 2521-0534 

Email: jperaza@iom.int  

Alternate leading agency for emergencies (UNETE) 

 

 

 

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