The
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
is releasing 250,000 Swiss francs (US$205,000/ €153,000)
from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to start mobilizing
assistance for the victims of Wednesday’s 7.9-magnitude
earthquake, which struck off the coast of central Peru.
The quake hit at around 18:40 local time about 160km (100 miles)
from the capital of Lima.
Local media have reported extensive damage in the province of
Ica, as well as in the area of Chincha. According to news reports,
houses have collapsed and people were taken to hospital, although
it’s still too early to tell exactly how many residents
may have been affected.
The International Federation’s Pan-American Disaster Response
Unit (PADRU) was immediately put on high alert and has redeployed
two of its disaster management delegates, who were already in
Peru helping with a recent cold wave, to the quake-affected
area.
PADRU is based in Panama and was established in 1999 to strengthen
the Red Cross and Red Crescent’s response capacity in
the region, which is highly prone to hurricanes, earthquakes
and landslides.
The Peruvian Red Cross also immediately dispatched a National
Intervention Team to the epicentre region to evaluate the level
of damage and the needs of affected people.
As soon as the PADRU staff and the Peruvian Red Cross team reach
the affected area, more information will be made available on
the level of damage. The International Federation’s regional
office in Lima is also closely monitoring the situation.
Areas near the coast and in the mountains were reportedly shaken
by the tremor, which has also caused telephone cuts and power
outages. The quake was felt in Lima, where people ran into the
streets in panic.
All flights from the international airport in Lima have been
temporarily suspended.
Tsunami warnings and advisories were initially issued up and
down the coast of Central and South America, as well as Hawaii,
but were later cancelled.
For more information, please contact: Marie-Françoise
Borel in the Media Service on +41 22 730 4346.
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People
prepare to spend the night outside their homes in Lima's
port of Callao, after an earthquake struck Peru, August
15, 2007. (REUTERS/Enrique Castro/courtesy www.alertnet.org)
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