Grim verdict of quake rescue experts

LONDON, England -- Rescuers with experience of major earthquake zones say the aftermath of the El Salvador disaster places it among the very worst.

The mudslides caused by the earthquake make the search for survivors difficult and hamper the rescue effort.

Gary O'Shea, assistant operational director of the UK-based charity International Rescue Corps (IRC), told CNN.com Europe: "Mud seals off everything considered essential for survival, such as oxygen and airpockets.

"It also renders most types of search and rescue equipment, such as thermal imaging equipment and even dogs, useless."

He said rescuers would have to dig manually in the search for survivors because using heavy digging equipment in the soft mud creates the danger of crushing people trapped below.

He added: "Given that the window of opportunity for rescue in any earthquake situation is usually the first 24-48 hours, the extra difficulties mud imposes makes it highly improbable many survivors will be found after that time."

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O'Shea was speaking as the European Commission said it planned to send up to $1.9 million in emergency aid to provide shelter, clean water and sanitation to victims of the earthquake.

Experts from the European Union's humanitarian aid office, ECHO, has already sent experts to areas worst hit by the 7.6 magnitude quake, which devastated towns and villages close to the country's capital, San Salvador.

Another team of experts will be sent to the region on Wednesday, EU spokesman Michael Curtis said.

He said the aid, expected to be approved later this week, would cover the costs of providing clean water, food aid and medical supplies.

O'Shea and a team of 15 rescuers at the International Rescue Corps, formed in 1981 in the aftermath of the Italian earthquake, are on standby to offer assistance in El Salvador.

"If they need us we are ready to go, but there are closer teams, in the U.S. and Taiwan and given the time factor," O'Shea said.

Offers of help have so far come from Mexico, the United States, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, Britain, Panama, even neighbouring Guatemala, which itself suffered six deaths in the quake.

As the hours pass, the operation will become one of recovery rather than rescue.

Around San Salvador alone, Red Cross officials estimated, some 10,000 people have lost their homes.

And the earthquake could turn out to be a humanitarian disaster for the whole country, Toby Porter, Oxfam's Humanitarian Co-ordinator, said.

IRC members have experience at earthquake sites around the world

He said that while the initial focus must be on saving the lives of people trapped by the mudslides around the capital San Salvador, attention would have turn to other provinces too as the full impact of the earthquake and its aftershocks becomes apparent.

Oxfam has a team of staff in the region, and is sending out a top water engineer to help provide and maintain supplies of clean water to hospitals and the places where people are sheltering, to minimise the threat of diseases causing further loss of life.

Japan has said it will extend 77.5 million yen ($650,800) in emergency aid while Tokyo is sending a team of medical experts.

Switzerland is to send an initial contribution of $100,000 emergency aid as part of a package which will also include food, drinking water and medicine.

Spain is to send a search and rescue team of 75 specially trained firefighters and 24 dogs to help in the search for survivors buried by landslides or trapped in the wreckage of collapsed buildings.

The Spanish Red Cross said it would also contribute 5 million pesetas ($28,470) of financial assistance to help survivors and rebuilding work.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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