1.
AERIAL VIEW Managua (2 shots)
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2.
SV People searching wreckage & looting (2 shots)
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3.
SV Troops stopping cars
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SV Troops check cars
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SV Burning wreckage PANT TO Another damaged building
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AERIAL VIEW MANAGUA; PEOPLE SEARCHING RUINS; TROOP STOOPING CARS; BURNING RUINS.




Initials ESP/2253 ESP/2303


TELERECORDING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: National Guard troops in earthquake-shattered Managua, Nicaragua, are patrolling the city with orders to shoot looters. Many gangs have been reported prowling the ruins and hauling away items ranging from food to refrigerators and cookers.

General Anastasio Somoza, Chief of the National Guard, has repeated that looters would be shot. He said in a radio message that he felt the suffering caused by the earthquake which struck with such devastating effect on Saturday (23 December), but he added that looting could not be tolerated.

In the same radio message, General Somoza said the danger of epidemics was under control and that the evacuation of the city was orderly.

The city centre has been declared a 'contaminated area' and the badly damaged buildings in the city centre will be demolished and the rubble covered in lime to destroy the unidentified bodies lying everywhere.

SYNOPSIS: In the earthquake-shattered Nicaraguan capital of Managua, troops are patrolling the streets with orders to shoot looters. Gangs have been raiding the ruins in search of food, water and other items they need to survive.

To stop this looting, the Nicaraguan Army have set up road blocks around Managua. Survivors who fled to the countryside were not allowed to return to claim their belongings. To encourage people to leave the devastated city, emergency food centres were set up outside the city limits. Troops also turned back outsiders who they believed would get in the way and possibly steal goods from the rubble. The city centre has been declared a 'contaminated area'. The badly damaged buildings in the area will be demolished and the rubble covered in lime to destroy the hundreds of unidentified bodies.