In the past two months IOM has provided emergency assistance to
more than 13,000 families left homeless by the earthquake that
struck Peru in mid-August.

Immediately after the earthquake, with USD 4.4 million received
from the United Nations' Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), IOM
began procuring and distributing tents, mattresses, folding beds,
blankets, kitchen sets, and other non-food items in Chincha, Pisco
and Ica, located in the Department of Ica.

"The entire roof of our house collapsed. We were so scared, we
left the area and went to higher ground, because we thought the
ocean was going to swallow up our village," recalls a resident of
San Andres in Pisco Province.

Some 55,000 individuals have directly benefited from the
emergency relief supplies, which include 13,000 tents.

"The residents in my district were hard-hit by the earthquake.
Most of the adobe-built homes simply collapsed. And those that were
left standing were so badly damaged that we had to tear them down.
With IOM's help, we have managed to assist 400 families in this
area," explains Alberto Magallanes, Mayor of the Alto Larán
District in Chincha Province.

Peru's National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI by its
Spanish acronym) reports that 595 people lost their lives, 1,366
were injured, and 318 are still listed as missing; 52,154 houses
were destroyed and 23,632 were badly damaged. Fourteen hospitals
were completely destroyed and 103 were damaged. Some 280,000
persons were directly affected by the earthquake.

An IOM team of 12 staff were immediately deployed to Pisco to
work with INDECI and the local authorities, and have remained in
the area throughout the reconstruction process. One hundred
additional staff were recruited locally to work in the emergency
distribution phase through the end of September.

The earthquake measuring 7.9 degrees in the Richter scale struck
in the Department of Ica. The epicentre was 25 miles (61
kilometres) west-northwest of Chincha Alta and 90 miles (161
kilometres) south-southeast of the capital Lima.

For more information please contact:

Juan Pablo Casapia

IOM Peru

Tel: +511.221.7698 / 221-7209

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