Office of the Resident Coordinator
Situation
1. At 11:40:58 PM UTC/GMT (Greenwich time) 6:34:56 PM local time, an earthquake measuring 7.9 degrees in the Richter scale struck in the Department of Ica. The epicenter was 25 miles (61 kilometers) west-northwest of Chincha Alta, Peru, and 90 miles (161 kilometers) south-southeast of Lima, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicenter was 30.2 km depth (18.8 miles). The effects were also strongly felt in Lima capital.
2. At the moment in the provinces of Ica and Pisco, power lines have been affected (no lights or light equipment) and that is making difficult a complete search in the area. Even though these conditions are limiting the search, the latest official figures provided indicate an increase in the number of casualties in the area. 3. The Government of Peru convened a meeting with the international cooperation agencies and donor countries. In this meeting, the National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI) informed the situation up to August 17th, 14:00 hrs: 650 dead 1,000 wounded 30,000 houses destroyed according to Peruvian Government preliminary assessments. 4 hospitals affected. 4 hospitals destroyed.
National Response
1. The Government of Peru has declared the state of emergency in the Department of Ica and province of Canete in the Department of Lima
2. The Ministry of Health has deployed medical teams to the Ica Department in support to the local hospitals.
3. At the moment a local team of 40 firemen with USAR are attending the affected areas.
4. The Government of Peru has officially requested support from the international cooperation and accepted the deployment of an UNDAC team. The team is due to arrive on the 17th and 18th August.
5. The Government of Peru has made available two airports in order to receive international support: Jorge Chavez International Airport and the Air Base in Pisco. It has indicated that given difficulties in unloading big cargos are landing in the Jorge Chavez. Arrivals must be coordinated closely with the Peruvian authorities (INDECI).
6. The assessments carried out by national authorities and other organizations in affected areas point out that the priority based on the severity of the damages are :
- Pisco
- Ica
- Chincha
7. INDECI has informed that 85% of housing in Pisco has been damaged; there is no electricity, water and they are facing food shortages. Access to the area of Pisco has been severely affected due damage to the bridge at the kilometer 78 of South Pan-American Highway, thus limiting the fluid access of heavy trucks. Access is just limited to 4x4 wheels vehicles and trucks. Access to the area of Pisco is coming from the city of Arequipa and by air through Pisco.
8. The Government of Peru has established an air bridge that reaches the city of Pisco in order to deliver humanitarian supplies and facilitate the deployment of international relief aid and aid workers.
9. In the province of Ica, 60% of houses in poor areas have been destroyed. There is no access to water, electricity; the area is accessible from Arequipa by land.
10. In Chincha there are limitations in the services of electricity, water and extension damage to housing.
11. INDECI has identified as the main humanitarian needs at the moment in the
Provinces as water, water containers, water purification tablets, tents, tarpaulin, electric generators, portable beds, blankets, and tools to remove rubble.
12. The health facilities in the area of Pisco, Chincha and Canete have been affected and at the moment as informed by INDECI the facilities are overwhelmed.
13. Three warships from the Peruvian navy have been sent to the port of Pisco carrying
1,500 tons of humanitarian aid. The cargoes of the ships are medicine, water, and fuel, as well as medical personnel.
The UN Response
14. The RC has activated the Emergency Operations Centre on a 24 hrs basis and convened a rolling meeting of the UNDMT.
15. Several agencies have received independent requests and the reply is being coordinated by the UNDMT.
16. The RC has informed National Authorities the availability of an immediate release of an emergency cash grant in support of the assessment needs.
17. Coordination support from OCHA Panama has arrived and supporting the preparation an eventual international appeal and to CERF appeal, and supporting the coordination capacities of local authorities.
18. The support provided by the UN agencies so far is as follows:
The UN system has provided an Operations Emergency Centre open around the clock. It is gathering the infomation UN agencies.. The Centre operates in the UNDP facilities, Av. Benavides 786, Miraflores. Tel: 511 213-3200, ext 4000, email: coeunete@undp.org.
Additionally, the information related to UN system activities can be accessed at www.onu.org.pe
The Centre is gathering information related to international cooperation teams in the affected areas and situation reports provided by national organizations and assessment teams from the internacional cooperation on the field.
United Nations Office Coordination of Humanitarian Affaire (UNOCHA)
OCHA has offered to Peruvian Government US$ 100,000 in order to support the response process. Additionally the UNDAC team has been deployed to support the aid coordination and the CERF appeal is being prepared.
World Food Programme (WFP)
The WFP will provide approximately 500 tons of food to the PRONAA (National Programme of Food Assistance) in order to be distributed among the affected population.
14 tons of fortified cookies will be imported from Ecuador. The flight will be chartered by the Government of Ecuador and it is expected to arrive on August 17th or August 18th.
An Emergency Operation will be carried out in order to buy food and cooking tools (spoons, plates, pans, water bowls) for US$ 500,000.
A mission of damage and safety assessment will be carried out in order to evaluate food needs within the framework of the UN interagency response. Depending on the assessment results, an emergency operation for US$ 3 million could be formulated.
United Nations Population Fund - UNFPA
Arrange a 50,000.00 US$ fund for early initiatives to help improving the live conditions of women and girls affected by the emergency. This is a flexible fund that will be used in line with the priorities of the Peruvian Government.
Request for "Reproductive health emergency kits" to attend pregnant women and childbirths in the disaster area.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
UNDP has arranged the immediate disposal of up to 100.000 US$ for the emergency attention requirements. Also, it will bring support to the drafting of the social recovery and reconstruction programmes.
In the framework of its mandate of giving support to the international assistance, the UNDP offers support to the management and layout of resources from the bilateral cooperation.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
At the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO will bring technical support for the assessment of damage on the productive infrastructure in agriculture as a consequence of the earthquake.
International Labour Organization (ILO)
In the United Nations System cooperation framework, ILO is able to analyze the impact of the earthquake on the employment and the job market. The analysis will include a strategy proposal and recommendations for temporary employment, employment intermediate services, and measures to regain the income level of the affected population and to reactivate the local economy.
Counterpart: in close collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Employment Promotion.
World Health Organization / Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO)
Planned Actions:
- Evaluation mission of the United Nations System in the affected area, in order to orient the technical cooperation.
- To jointly plan with the PAHO Emergencies and Disasters Programme (PED) the response actions.
- To assure the suitable operation of the methodological and operative instruments for the disasters management, including the Provisions System, SUMA and other guidelines and procedures.
- To contribute with the best location and operating conditions of the shelters.
- Analysis of the vaccination coverage as opposed to the limitations of the cold-chain and functioning conditions affected by the disaster (electricity, water, biosafety)
- To support the deployment of mental health care.
- Preliminary assessment of the needs of the infrastructure recovery on basic sanitation, water and services network.
- Orientation for the correct handling and treatment of corpses. - Assessment of the health infrastructure carried out by specialists.
- Support to the Ministry of Health in establishing the situation room and emergency centre of Health Sector.
- Coordinate within the UN System Health matters with the international cooperation.
- Elaborate an action plan and present the project of funds mobilisation with available information and complement it with the missions in field.
- Mobilise response regional team depending on the evolution of the event and in field assessment.
- Prepare reports related to event evolution in Health matters and manage humanitarian assistance.
UNESCO
UNESCO will bring assistance to the Ministry of Education in order to prepare an assessment of the school facilities in affected areas. They will implement a joint action with UNICEF in order to carry out a programme for the restore school facilities and return to school.
International Organizations response
9. The IFRC and the PADRU (Pan American Disaster Response Unit) have offered an immediate provision of blankets, water bladders, tents. The field team has reached Pisco - their first impression a large percentage of destroyed houses - no update on numbers of dead or injured yet.It took them 6 1/2 to 7 hours to reach Pisco, instead of 2 hrs - road is severely damaged. They are heading for the hospital to ascertain the needs and then are going to leave for Ica. Indeci (local authorities) have formally asked PADRU to send the two planes (full of tents, plastic sheeting, blankets and jerricans - for 2,000 families).
10. RAPID LA- USAR- 15 people
11. Telecoms Sans Frontieres has deployed 3 technicians. Satellite Phones: 3 MiniMs + 1 Iridium Satellite modems: 2 Bgans + 1 RBgan + 1 GanM4 . 5 Laptops.
12. Swiss Humanitarian Aid / Peru: Assessment. Switzerland has brought a specialist in water and sanitation and has deployed a rapid reaction response team for assessment.
13. In the donors meeting of the 17th, the international organizations made several pledges and actions have been mentioned (a complete list will be supplied in due course):
- Spain: a flight with 100 tons of humanitarian support has arrived, including tents, material for removing rubble, blankets.
- Switzerland: 42,000 litres of water and 1,000 have been distributed in Chincha, Rapid reaction support team of 6 people has been deployed. A cash grant of US$ 400,000 is able to be released.
- The Organization of American States has made pledges of support.
- The Inter American Development Bank mentioned that a cash grant of US$ 200,000 will be made available in support to the emergency.
- The European Union has offered 1 million Euros for immediate relief and deployed technical assistance.
- USAID is going to send two cargos with medical teams of 30 people and mobile hospitals and transport support, medicines and humanitarian supplies.
- Germany has already sent a rescue team in the area and will made available US$ 260,000.
- Italy has provided 200,000 Euros for food and humanitarian supplies through the IFRC.