Earthquake-affected residents of Huancavelica, Peru's poorest
department have received emergency assistance thanks to funding
provided by the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European
Commission (ECHO).

With 425,000 euro funding from ECHO, IOM has assisted some 2,800
people in the province of Huaytará whose homes were
destroyed or damaged by the 15 August earthquake.

The emergency assistance provided by IOM Peru included
winterized tents, mattresses and blankets. IOM also distributed 700
tools kits that included wheelbarrows, shovels, picks, and other
tools needed to rebuild homes and for agriculture.

According to IOM's Chief of Mission in Peru Pilar Norza,
"Huaytará was the province in Huancavelica Department worst
affected by the earthquake, with 2,896 homes either destroyed or
very badly damaged. These destitute victims had not received any
help to rebuild their homes until now."

Peru's Cooperation Fund for Social Development (FONCODES by its
Spanish acronym) reports that Huancavelica is the poorest
department with the highest rate of malnutrition (56 per cent of
the population). Some 43 per cent of its residents do not have
access to potable water, and 66 per cent do not have access to
latrines or sanitation.

The 15 August earthquake measuring 7.9 degrees on the Richter
scale struck the Department of Ica. The epicentre was 25 miles (61
kilometres) west-northwest of Chincha Alta and 90 miles (161
kilometres) southeast of the capital Lima.

Peru's National Institute of Civil Defense reports that 595
people lost their lives, 318 are still missing and 1,090 were
injured while 52,154 houses were destroyed and 23,632 were
damaged.

For more information, please contact:

Oscar Sandoval

IOM Peru

Tel: +51.1.221.7209

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