A
week has passed since the devastating earthquake, which struck
Peru on 15 August, killing more than 500 people and shattering
the lives of tens of thousands.
As residents continue to mourn their loved ones and search through
the rubble for what’s left of their possessions, the International
Federation’s Susana Arroyo examines what conditions are
like for people trying to start over in the ruined city of Pisco.
This city in the middle of the desert, famous for its dunes
and beautiful beaches, was one of the places hardest hit by
the quake along Peru’s southern coast. Houses, hospitals,
shops and services were all wiped out in an instant.
From one day to the next, life for Pisco’s 120,000 inhabitants
changed completely. They have lost their relatives, their friends,
their homes, their belongings and their livelihoods. The only
thing that remains for many is the hope that help is on its
way.
“During two minutes I thought it was the end of the world,”
says 54-year-old Marta Rodríguez. “But now we are
living without our families and this feels like the end of the
world.”
Marta lives in Nueva Alameda, one of the poorest districts in
Pisco. She told Peruvian Red Cross volunteers, who were carrying
out a damage assessment, that she and her five grandsons are
now living in a basic shelter, along with 500 other families,
that they organized by themselves.
At least 3,000 quake survivors, like Marta, are believed to
be living on soccer fields and any other rubble-free patches
of land they can find in Pisco. Using wood, plastic bags and
sheets, they have built up precarious spaces to stay for the
coming weeks.
“Here, at least we have a warm place for our kids during
these cold nights,” says Marta, adding that she’s
worried about an uncertain future.
“The hotel I used to work has fallen down. How will I
get money to feed my family? How long should we wait until our
lives get normal again?” she asks.
In response to the needs of thousands of people like Marta,
the International Federation has significantly increased its
appeal for emergency funds to assist the quake survivors.
More than 5.6 million Swiss francs ($4.7 million USD / €3.4
million) are now being sought to provide help to around 37,500
people over the next nine months.
“The situation in Pisco and also in Ica remains difficult
for the thousands of families who lost their homes and belongings
in the disaster,” says Giorgio Ferrario, the International
Federation’s regional representative in Lima.
“The remoteness of the affected area, damage to roads
and the desperate situation of so many people have made it difficult
to get help where it’s needed most.”
Thanks to an “air bridge” established between Lima
and Pisco, more help is now arriving each day, with plane load
after plane load of relief supplies coming into the quake-affected
zone.
The shipments of blankets, food, tools, mats, clothes and water
are being distributed by Red Cross volunteers and staff, who
say the planes are also delivering hope, humanity and solidarity.
“I arrived in Peru four weeks ago to support families
affected by a cold wave in the Andes, but suddenly this earthquake
happened,” says Juan Ramón Munguía, a Red
Cross logistics volunteer from Nicaragua.
“In my country, we are used to frequent tremors, but since
the beginning I knew this was something big… Now I am
in charge of receiving all planes arriving at Pisco airport,
and guaranteeing that all items are ready to be distributed,”
he adds.
Volunteers and delegates from around the world, specialized
in search and rescue, psychological support, relief and logistics,
are participating in the disaster response, which has received
support from the International Federation’s Pan-American
Disaster Response Unit in Panama.
“We came here to carry out search and rescue, but sadly,
we didn’t find people alive under the rubble,” says
David Pulido, a member of the Colombian Red Cross who’s
an expert in getting people out from under collapsed structures.
“Now we are working to provide basic health care and relief
to families in Paracas and elsewhere,” he adds. “We
are working as one big Red Cross team, no matter where we come
from.”
Over the next few weeks, volunteers and delegates like David
and Juan Ramón will continue helping vulnerable residents
on the road to recovery in close coordination with the authorities,
other aid agencies and communities.
“We are here to work with the communities and not just
on their behalf,” explains Flavio Gálvez, a Peruvian
Red Cross volunteer.
“They know better than any one what their needs and vulnerabilities
are. More than anything, they know what their capacities and
strengths are to start all over again.”
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Thanks
to an “air bridge” established between Lima
and Pisco, more help is now arriving each day, with plane
load after plane load of relief supplies coming into the
quake-affected zone. (p16281)
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More
than 5.6 million Swiss francs ($4.7 million USD / €3.4
million) are now being sought to provide help to around
37,500 people over the next nine months. (p16274)
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Volunteers
and delegates from around the world, specialized in search
and rescue, psychological support, relief and logistics,
are participating in the disaster response, which has
received support from the International Federation’s
Pan-American Disaster Response Unit in Panama. (p16282)
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From
one day to the next, life for Pisco’s 120,000 inhabitants
changed completely. They have lost their relatives, their
friends, their homes, their belongings and their livelihoods.
The only thing that remains for many is the hope that
help is on its way. (p16279)
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