Ecuador - IOM Director General William Lacy Swing has increased funding from USD 100,000 to USD 500,000  from IOM’s Migration Emergency Funding Mechanism (MEFM) to support IOM’s emergency response following the earthquake that hit Ecuador’s Pacific coast on Saturday (16/4).

The money will fund initial emergency response activities prioritized by the government, in line with a forthcoming Flash Appeal announced this week in Quito. In the appeal, IOM will lead the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) Cluster and co-lead the Shelter and Non-Food Item (NFI) Cluster of aid agencies. It will work in close partnership with Ecuador’s Ministry of Social Inclusion (MIES), UN agencies and international NGOs.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by 620 aftershocks, two of which measured over 6.3 on the Richter scale, has resulted in at least 570 deaths, 163 missing and 7,015 injured. Some 24,000 people are now living in collective shelters. An estimated 720,000 people have been affected by the earthquake and need immediate assistance.

IOM’s initial response included deployment of a rapid response team to support the MIES on the ground in the identification and mapping of temporary shelters, ahead of the arrival of additional IOM experts this weekend (23/4.)

Following a request from the authorities to support MIES nationwide, IOM has also procured emergency shelter supplies, including 10,000 shelter grade tarpaulins and 1,000 shelter toolkits to support the initial stages of recovery and allow earthquake victims to start rebuilding. It will procure shelter framing and fixing materials locally in the coming weeks.

“We are working hand in hand with the local authorities, partners and donors to respond rapidly to help people affected by the earthquake, particularly those who are homeless and in need of shelter,” said IOM Ecuador Chief of Mission Damien Thuriaux.

For further information, please contact Jimena Almeida at IOM Ecuador, Tel: + 593-2-393 4400, Ext.117, Mobile: +593- 9996 66 640, Email: jalmeida@iom.int