El Salvador appeals for coffins
As a massive rescue operation continues in the wake of Saturday’s earthquake in Central America, the President of El Salvador has made an international appeal for coffins.
He says the country needs about 3,000 coffins to start burying its dead and prevent the spread of disease. Irish aid agencies have also started emergency appeals to respond to the crisis.
This morning, the official death toll from the quake still stands at just over 259 but it is expected to rise dramatically in the coming days.
Hundreds are listed missing following massive mudslides. The slides have continued since the quake and are hampering rescue operations.
In one area, just outside the capital San Salvador, an estimated 600 homes have been swept away.
A Trocaire team has arrived in on the ground and has started working with other international response teams. However the fear is this operation will rapidly descend into a search for bodies.
