The cultural impact

Abstract

The damages caused by the earthquakes of January 13 and February 13 are not only socioeconomic, but also culturally appreciable. The damages suffered in 107 churches, 57 historic centers, 609 cultural facilities, represent approximately 80 percent of the Salvadoran cultural heritage.
The damage of buildings, documents, petrogravidas, means in most cases a total and unrecoverable loss, since many of them are irreplaceable due to their age, damaging our identity and our historical memory forever.
In most cases, however, they can be reconstructed and restored to enrich us culturally. Some data of the damages produced are already known.
For example, the churches of Santa María Ostuma, San Pedro Nonualco, Our Lady of Pilar in San Vicente, the bell tower of Santa Cruz de Roma in Panchimalco, all national monuments that have suffered very severe damage.