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Morning News

El Salvador Quake: U.S. Ambassador Discusses Relief Efforts

Aired January 15, 2001 - 10:05 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A killer earthquake has unleashed a second wave of misery across El Salvador. Land slides have swept across much of the Central American country, where more than 400 people are confirmed dead. As many as 1,200 people are reported missing.

For the latest on the death toll and the international aid that's being rushed to the survivors, let's bring in our Susan Candiotti, who is in San Salvador today -- Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Search-and-rescue operations continue non-stop as Salvadorans work frantically in hopes of finding additional survivors. Government officials will tell you that they don't want to lose hope, but they know that, as time goes on, they also fully expect the death toll to grow as well. As you indicated, at least 1200 people remain missing. And the government here is trying to convince hundreds of families to evacuate one area in particular, a suburb of San Salvador, called Santa Tecla, where they fear additional mud slides might endanger these people.

In the meantime, citizens, as well as search-and-rescue teams, are using their hands, shovels, anything they can get hold of in order to look for more survivors. They indicate that damage here is expected to be worse than the earthquake that struck in 1986 and worse than the destruction of Hurricane Mitch a few years ago -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Susan, thank you very much. I understand, do you have with you the U.S. ambassador to El Salvador with you right now?

ROSE LIKINS, U.S. AMB. TO EL SALVADOR: Hello.

KAGAN: Is this Rose Likins, Madame Ambassador?

LIKINS: Yes.

KAGAN: Good morning, thanks for joining us here on MORNING NEWS. Can you tell us what the U.S. is being able to do to help the people of El Salvador in the wake of this devastation?

LIKINS: In the moments, Daryn, after the crisis, the embassy staff came together and started looking for Americans all over the country, providing services to our American community; in addition, we have had terrific response from DOD and Southcom (ph) in Florida, who sent over helicopters from JTF bravo (ph) in Honduras, who are here now to move relief supplies around the country, and help with the damage assessment. In addition, the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance has flown in relief supplies, and has people on the ground, working closely with the National Emergency Committee.

KAGAN: Do you know of American citizens that are living in El Salvador that have been affected by the earthquake?

LIKINS: Absolutely. We have more than 12,500 registered American citizens in El Salvador. And we've been reaching out to that community. Many of them, obviously, have been affected. In the community of Santa Tecla, we have 450 American citizens registered. As of this moment, we have no notice of any American fatalities, but obviously, we are still waiting to hear from many people.

KAGAN: That number surprises me that it's that high. If you have that many Americans living in that area, you know there are going to be a lot of Americans in the country, here at home, that want information about their relatives. What's the best way to get that information?

LIKINS: We have a variety of ways for Salvadorans living in the United States to contact their family. A lot of them already doing it by Internet. They can call the State Department, and there is a consular response team that is taking those requests. And our embassy here in San Salvador is also taking those requests. We are taking them by phone and by e-mail.

KAGAN: If they can't get through to San Salvador, then maybe they can try the State Department in Washington, D.C.?

LIKINS: Absolutely.

KAGAN: OK, that's a good tip. People might not think about that.

What about individuals who just care about the devastation that they are seeing? What's the best thing they can do to help out?

LIKINS: The government is asking that we concentrate on donations rather than goods and supplies because there is such a problem with distribution. So they're asking for donations. They set up an account here in El Salvador for donations to be sent to. In addition, international private voluntary organizations, and NGOs are here. The American Red Cross is prepared to accept donations. Save the Children and Catholic Relief Services are some of the other organizations that are working here.

KAGAN: You mentioned the Internet, Madame Ambassador, where do folks go on the Internet to get this information?

LIKINS: We have a Web -- an embassy Web site -- state.gov is the easiest thing for me to tell you is the way to reach the embassy Web site. KAGAN: State.gov, we will make sure to put that up on the screen even later in our hour for folks who might be watching. That is Rose Likins, ambassador -- U.S. ambassador to El Salvador, joining us on the phone. Madame Ambassador, thank you very much. I know it is a busy time. We will let you go so that you can get back to work to helping the folks there in that area. And once again, Rose Likins, U.S. ambassador to El Salvador.

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