EL SALVADOR: Death toll from the worst ear­thquake in El Salvador’s history soared into thousands on Tuesday [May 8] as rescue parties dug through ruins in south-eastern towns. The Defence Ministry announced a terrible earth shudder at 2.15 p.m. on Sunday brought 1000 deaths in the destroyed town of Jucuapa alone. Martial Law was imposed upon the population on Monday night to prevent looting and establish emergency regulations for handling of thousands of homeless families.

Severed communications lines prevented complete tabulation of bodies recovered so far. Government and Red Cross relief parties rushed food, clothing and medicines to the devastated area. President Oscar Osorio visited the stricken towns on Monday with Archbishop Chavez. They found Jucuapa completely abandoned.

A [news agency] report adds: … Twenty thousand people are homeless and without food. The Salvador Embassy in Washington last night said the town of Jucuapa, had been almost destroyed, and that much of the neighbouring city of Chinameca had also been destroyed. Casualties there had not been estimated.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2026