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| Scores die in El Salvador floods | Scores die in El Salvador floods |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least 124 people have been killed in El Salvador by flooding and landslides following days of heavy rain, the government says. | At least 124 people have been killed in El Salvador by flooding and landslides following days of heavy rain, the government says. |
| President Mauricio Funes has declared a national emergency, describing the damage as "incalculable". | President Mauricio Funes has declared a national emergency, describing the damage as "incalculable". |
| The capital San Salvador and central San Vicente province were hardest hit. | The capital San Salvador and central San Vicente province were hardest hit. |
| Mud and boulders buried homes and cars in the small town of Verapaz, where rescuers dug into the night - some with their bare hands - to find survivors. | Mud and boulders buried homes and cars in the small town of Verapaz, where rescuers dug into the night - some with their bare hands - to find survivors. |
| The BBC's weather centre says the disastrous rains were mainly caused by a low pressure system in the Pacific, which was linked indirectly to Hurricane Ida, which passed the country three days ago. | The BBC's weather centre says the disastrous rains were mainly caused by a low pressure system in the Pacific, which was linked indirectly to Hurricane Ida, which passed the country three days ago. |
| Ida was downgraded to a tropical storm as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico on Monday. | |
| Nonetheless, storm warnings remain in place along the Gulf Coast of the US, from Mississippi to Florida. | Nonetheless, storm warnings remain in place along the Gulf Coast of the US, from Mississippi to Florida. |
| Massive rockslides | Massive rockslides |
| Soldiers joined residents of Verapaz, a town with a population of about 3,000 some 50km (30 miles) outside San Salvador, to dig through the mud with shovels under a persistent drizzle, the Associated Press reported. | Soldiers joined residents of Verapaz, a town with a population of about 3,000 some 50km (30 miles) outside San Salvador, to dig through the mud with shovels under a persistent drizzle, the Associated Press reported. |
| The images that we have seen today are of a devastated country El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes In pictures: El Salvador floods | The images that we have seen today are of a devastated country El Salvador's President Mauricio Funes In pictures: El Salvador floods |
| Emergency services said about 300 homes had been destroyed in the town, which was hit by massive rockslides from the Chichontepec volcano. | Emergency services said about 300 homes had been destroyed in the town, which was hit by massive rockslides from the Chichontepec volcano. |
| AP earlier quoted Red Cross spokesman Carlos Lopez Mendoza as saying 60 people there were missing. | AP earlier quoted Red Cross spokesman Carlos Lopez Mendoza as saying 60 people there were missing. |
| The country's official death toll was not broken down by location but the deaths were concentrated in San Salvador and San Vicente province, where Verapaz is situated. | The country's official death toll was not broken down by location but the deaths were concentrated in San Salvador and San Vicente province, where Verapaz is situated. |
| "It was terrible," said Manuel Melendez, 61, whose home in the town was destroyed. | "It was terrible," said Manuel Melendez, 61, whose home in the town was destroyed. |
| "The rocks came down on top of the houses and split them in two, and split the pavement. I heard people screaming all around." | "The rocks came down on top of the houses and split them in two, and split the pavement. I heard people screaming all around." |
| We were able to see full trees floating by to the ocean Jaymes Kine, Playa El Tunco, El Salvador El Salvador floods: Your e-mails | We were able to see full trees floating by to the ocean Jaymes Kine, Playa El Tunco, El Salvador El Salvador floods: Your e-mails |
| Collapsed walls, boulders and downed power lines that blocked heavy machinery have been impeding the rescue effort. | Collapsed walls, boulders and downed power lines that blocked heavy machinery have been impeding the rescue effort. |
| A reporter on the El Salvador daily La Prensa Grafica, Juan Carlos Barahona, told the BBC that San Vicente had been virtually cut off by landslides and collapsed bridges. | A reporter on the El Salvador daily La Prensa Grafica, Juan Carlos Barahona, told the BBC that San Vicente had been virtually cut off by landslides and collapsed bridges. |
| Other badly affected areas were La Libertad, La Paz and Cuscatlan, he said. | Other badly affected areas were La Libertad, La Paz and Cuscatlan, he said. |
| About 7,000 people are living in shelters as a result of the disaster. | About 7,000 people are living in shelters as a result of the disaster. |
| Large parts of the country are without electricity or clean water and remain cut off from government aid, the BBC's Latin America correspondent Will Grant reports. | Large parts of the country are without electricity or clean water and remain cut off from government aid, the BBC's Latin America correspondent Will Grant reports. |
| "The images that we have seen today are of a devastated country," President Funes said on local television. | "The images that we have seen today are of a devastated country," President Funes said on local television. |
| Our correspondent says that this is easily the biggest crisis the government of Mr Funes has had to face since coming to office five months ago. | Our correspondent says that this is easily the biggest crisis the government of Mr Funes has had to face since coming to office five months ago. |
| Are you in El Salvador? Have you been affected by the floods? Send us your stories using the form below. | Are you in El Salvador? Have you been affected by the floods? Send us your stories using the form below. |
| You can also send us your pictures and videos of the flooding to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. | You can also send us your pictures and videos of the flooding to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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