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In Brief
CHF 25,000 (USD 19,386 OR EUR 16,084) HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FROM THE FEDERATION'S DISASTER RELIEF EMERGENCY FUND (DREF) TO RESPOND TO THIS OPERATION.
UNEARMARKED FUNDS TO REPAY DREF ARE ENCOURAGED.
The situation
An earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale shook Peru late in the evening on Sunday, 25 September. The earthquake was centred approximately 85 km (53 miles) north-east of the city of Moyobamba in the area of Lamas in the department of San Martin, an impoverished area of the country near the border with Brazil. The earthquake, which struck at 20.55 hours on Sunday local time (0155 GMT Monday), lasted about 50 seconds and was felt in the Peruvian departments of Lima, La Libertad, Piura, Tumbes, Cajamarca, Iquitos as well as some parts of Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. The earthquake caused damage throughout much of the region, causing at least 5 deaths and injuring 59. In total, some 2,446 people were seriously affected. The earthquake also caused power outages and disrupted telephone services in the area. At least 453 houses have been identified as uninhabitable and 377 were destroyed, most of them made of adobe. This is the strongest earthquake to hit Peru since June 2001, when an 8.1-magnitude tremor killed 75 people in Arequipa.
The president of Peru, Alejandro Toledo, arrived in Lamas on Tuesday afternoon to inspect the damage and has indicated that funding will be provided to rehabilitate the affected areas. An airplane from the Peruvian Air Force took about 18 tons of humanitarian relief goods to be distributed among the people affected. Health personnel from two hospitals in Lima travelled to provide health care. In addition, the National Institute of Civil Defence is currently in the field providing logistic support as well as shelter to the people who were left without homes.
Red Cross action taken so far
Shortly after the earthquake, ten Red Cross volunteers from Moyobamba branch went to Lamas where the affected people were being assisted. Although the nature of the emergency combined with difficult weather conditions made it difficult to access the area immediately, the Peruvian Red Cross (PRC)(1) has provided the Civil Defence with 1,000 blankets, 50 tents and 200 packs containing clothes be distributed amongst those in need. This quick and effective response on the part of the PRC was possible due to the extensive training and support in disaster preparedness that the Moyobamba branch and the surrounding community have received.
The PRC has made an appeal to the Peruvian public for more tents, clothes, medicine, blankets and non-perishable food items. Red Cross volunteers, including volunteer nurses and physicians, have been providing first aid and basic health care, as well as ensuring support to hospitals and health centres. Meanwhile, the National Emergency Committee for Disaster Response (COE), of which the PRC is a member and the National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI), along with several government ministries and international NGOs, have been activated. Coordination meetings are being held in order to decide further actions.
For information specifically related to this operation please contact:
In Peru: Richard Medina, National Relief Director, Peruvian Red Cross, Lima; email coord-socorro@cruzroja.org.pe, phone 511-265-8783, fax 511- 471-0523
In Peru: Magda Pinilla, Regional Disaster Preparedness Delegate, Lima Regional Delegation; e-mail: magda.pinilla@ifrc.org, phone 511-221- 8151, fax 511-441-3607
In Panama: Dario Alvarez, Disaster Management Delegate, Pan American Disaster Response Unit, Panama; email dario.alvarez@ifrc.org, phone 507-316-1001, fax 507-316-1082
In Geneva: Olaug Bergseth, Federation Regional Officer, Americas Department; e-mail olaug.bergseth@ifrc.org, phone 41-22-730-4535, fax 41-22-733-0395
All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.
For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org
MAP: Peru: Earthquake - Situation map
Note:
(1) http://www.cruzroja.org.pe/
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