El Salvadoran President Francisco Flores today tried to calm nervous Salvadorans, assuring them that Saturday's powerful earthquake that left at least 400 dead would not trigger volcanoes or other new disasters.
Frequent aftershocks in the Central American nation continued to frustrate rescue workers and sent Salvadorans fleeing from their homes and offices. More than 500 aftershocks shook the area in the wake of Saturday's 7.6 magnitude quake.
The president told citizens that there would not be a repeat of Saturday's earthquake and tried to quash rumors that the tremor would unleash a volcanic activity or a tsunami.
"Another event of such great impact is not going to occur, said Mr Flores. We urge people to keep their doors open to be able to escape falling debris and to keep calm," he said.
El Salvador's worst natural disaster in 20 years has left many people cut off with no access to food or clean drinking water.
The death toll is expected to rise substantially in the coming days. The International Red Cross says more than 1,000 people in the town of Santa Tecla, near the capital San Salvador, are still missing beneath the mud.