August 17, 2007

The death toll from the Wednesday (August 15) earthquake in Peru has now surpassed 500, and as many as 17,000 are reportedly displaced, authorities said. Some 1,000 were injured.

Aftershocks have hampered rescue and relief efforts, while the region's power supplies, telecommunications and road links remain severely disrupted, the BBC reported.

The National Institute for Civil Defence (INDECI) reported yesterday authorities had still only been able to assess damage in about a third of the affected areas, due to damaged transportation and communication infrastructures.

With large areas still yet to be assessed for damage, INDECI estimated the total number of destroyed homes could be as high as 70,000.

The most affected locations include the regions of Ica (with the cities and provinces of Pisco, Ica and Chincha), Lima (provinces of Cañete and Yauyos) and Huancavelica (provinces of Huaytará and Castrovirreyna). The regions include a large number of villages, towns and cities of various size dispersed among numerous valleys. Adobe houses are common throughout the region as well.

The most urgent needs are: drinkable water, shelter, medicines, clothes and non-perishable food.

REPONSE: Church World Service is supporting efforts by its partners and fellow Action by Churches Together (ACT) members in Peru, including the Evangelical Lutheran Association for Aid to Community Development (DIACONIA), Lutheran World Relief (LWR) and the Center for Studies and Disaster Prevention (PREDES). All three CWS partners and ACT members in Peru have activities in the affected area.

PREDES and DIACONIA are sending two assessment teams on Friday and Saturday to evaluate the damage and needs in less accessible, vulnerable and poor rural areas. LWR is focus its response on the Huancavelica region.

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org