El Salvador Quakes Cause Red Alert
As a result of repeated earthquakes in eastern El Salvador, the Government has declared a state of emergency in five municipalities of the Ahuachapan department.

According to local authorities seismic activity since Sunday has left 5,500 victims and about two thousand homes damaged, 628 totally destroyed and 129 declared uninhabitable.

Deputy director of Civilian Protection, Raul Murillo informed that the "state of emergency"declared by President Antonio Saca for the municipalities of San Lorenzo, Atiquizaya, Turin, El Refugio and Ahuachapan, is considered a red alert.

The official added that the alert allows delivering humanitarian aid to those municipalities through requests to other countries as well as moving State funds for attention of necessities.

Murillo explained that San Lorenzo, 96 kilometers west of San Salvador, on the border with Guatemala is the most affected with a reported 50 percent of damages with 2,500 victims, 500 homes destroyed, 81 declared uninhabitable and 321 lesser damages.

The National Service of Territorial Studies (SNET) explained that since 7 local time Sunday (13:00GMT) a total of 838 tremors have been registered and 136 were felt by the population.

SNET informed that this activity seems to have decreased in the Ahuachapan department but pointed out that the situation continues active.