Damnificados

That is the Spanish word for "victims" -- specifically, I believe, referring to people who have lost their houses -- but I think the English cognate damned is actually more accurate. Aside from the death count which I last heard was 144, about 13,000 Salvadorans have lost their homes due to Hurricane Ida, which caused devastating floods and landslides Saturday and Sunday.

I am still evacuated in San Salvador, and the more I find out about my community, the worse the news gets. There is still no vehicular access, as both roads to my site are collapsed. In my municipality, 300 houses have been damaged or destroyed. There is no electricity or worse, water, or telephone connections. About 180 people have been evacuated from their houses and are living in schools. Four people died in a landslide in a village neighboring mine.

As I cannot communicate with my community, I don't know how badly people are suffering. Most people have stores of water that last a few days at least if water doesn't run. But if roads don't open soon and water systems aren't fixed, the situation could get much worse.

That's why some Peace Corps staff and former volunteers have set up a disaster relief fund. To donate to it, go to aidelsalvador.org. Much of the money will probably go to communities worse off than mine, but even that would be worthwhile. We are also waiting to hear whether we can get USAID money for relief efforts, which we would join them in implementing. And I might set up my own fund if what we get proves insufficient.

Not to be idle here in San Salvador, today a bunch of displaced volunteers helped TV stations and NGOs receive, sort and load food, clothes etc. to the victims. We bought them a bunch of soap.

My second year in the Peace Corps might turn into a disaster relief job rather than a small-scale community development job. Right now all my previous projects -- classes, gardens, community clean-ups, educational skits -- barely seem important next to the weight of what happened this weekend.

Paz y amor.