IOM this week continued to distribute tents and other emergency
relief supplies, such as folding beds, mattresses, blankets, sheets
and kitchen sets to victims of the earthquake that struck the
Department of Ica on 15 August.

IOM is working closely with Peru's Civil Defence Institute
(INDECI by its Spanish acronym) to help implement an emergency
shelter strategy to bring direct assistance to victims of the quake
who have decided not to abandon their damaged homes.

To date, 3,657 tents have been distributed and set up to shelter
vulnerable families living in and around the towns of Ica, Pisco
and Chincha.

Convoys have arrived this week in Pisco with an additional 3,000
tents, 4,000 folding beds and 12,500 blankets.

Three IOM teams of 20 staff have been deployed to the area to
work closely with INDECI, local authorities and the army to ensure
assistance is brought to victims who have remained on their land so
that they can watch over their belongings and begin rebuilding
their homes.

IOM began purchasing emergency relief supplies immediately
following the approval of USD 4,419,000 million from the United
Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for IOM to carry
out its emergency work in Peru.

Peru's National Institute of Civil Defence reports that 519
people lost their lives and 1,366 were injured; 60,519 houses were
destroyed and more than 14,000 were damaged. Fourteen hospitals
were completely destroyed and 103 were damaged.

For more information, please contact:

Oscar Sandova

IOM Lima

Tel: +51.1.221.7209

E-mail: "mailto:osandoval@iom.int">osandoval@iom.int