The aftermath of this natural disaster is devastating. In the hardest hit coastal towns of Pisco and Ica, not a single house has been left intact. Huge numbers of people have been affected. The German government is providing immediate aid.
On 20 August, Germany's Ministry for Development Cooperation (BMZ) pledged 1.5 million euros in emergency aid to the towns of Pisco and Ica.
During the evening of 15 August, Peru was rocked by an earthquake measuring 7.9 of the Richter scale. Along with Pisco, which was almost completely destroyed, Ica and a number of other towns along the southern coast were also badly hit. At least 540 people were killed and some 1,500 injured. Thousands have been made homeless. Gaining access to the affected areas remains difficult. Aftershocks are still being felt along Peru's coastline. Aid organisations have launched donation appeals.
As German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul explained: "Our contribution is a practical demonstration of Germany's solidarity with those who have lost their families and everything they own."
In Pisco, the worst affected area, the town's entire water supply was severely disrupted and is now completely out of action. In agreement with the Peruvian authorities, the German Ministry for Development Cooperation will fund emergency equipment, water bowsers, water storage tanks and water purification systems. It will also provide support in restoring Pisco's water supply. The priority is to carry out the most urgent repairs and fix the town's water treatment facilities.
The Development Ministry will also give 300,000 euros to provide food to as many as 2,000 families in the area devastated by the earthquake. Additional funds will go to reconstructing school buildings so they can be used as emergency shelters for up to 3,000 people. Emergency accommodation is urgently needed as night-time temperatures plummet. Blankets, hygiene kits and drinking water are all desperately needed.
The German Foreign Office has approved the immediate allocation of 200,000 euros for emergency relief. The money will go to projects implemented by German aid organisations in cooperation with local partners and in close consultation with the Peruvian government.