Quake areas 'near panic'

At least 274 people have died in the earthquake

Reports from El Salvador speak of a state of near panic in parts of the country after the second earthquake in a month.

The army says the situation in the countryside is very serious, and it has deployed teams of soldiers to try to reach people trapped beneath landslides.

Latest reports say at least 274 people were killed by Tuesday's quake, and more than were 2,500 were injured.

Measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale and lasting 20 seconds, it struck 15km (10 miles) south-east of the capital, San Salvador.

It came as people in El Salvador were trying to re-build their lives after last month's earthquake, which left more than 1,000 dead.

Many people were getting ready for work when Tuesday's quake struck, trapping them in their homes in the districts around San Salvador of La Paz, Cuscatlan and San Vicente.

Authorities said up to half the houses in San Vicente were flattened in the quake, and nearby towns of Analquito, San Emigdio, Guadalupe and Verapaz were mostly destroyed.

Local aid workers say that food and medicines are badly needed, as well as water because pipes in many areas have been destroyed.

Taxi driver Milton Geovani Diaz, said: "After everything that happened to us last month, we are once again facing the same terror.

Falling buildings have trapped an unknown number of people

"The kids are already traumatised and with every new movement, they're terrified that the walls are going to fall in."

In one of the worst-hit villages, Candelaria in central El Salvador, at least 39 people were killed and 1,300 houses were destroyed.

Rescue workers pulled out the bodies of five small children from the wreckage of the local school.

As least 22 children and their 25-year-old teacher - found with her arms wrapped around some of the children - died there, say the authorities.

Oswald Guerra, deputy commissioner of the national civil police in Candelaria, said: "The church and the school are literally flat on the ground. The community is practically destroyed."

The latest tremor was smaller than January's 7.6 Richter scale quake, but caused huge damage because its epicentre was on land.

It was felt strongly not only in El Salvador but in neighbouring Guatemala and Honduras.

El Salvador is still reeling from the January quake, which caused more than $1bn in damage.

The UN has appealed for extra funds to help provide adequate housing, food and healthcare.