A first shipment of 5,000 tents is arriving this weekend in the
earthquake-stricken city of Pisco.

The tents, procured by IOM in the United States, can shelter up
to six persons. They will be erected in camps in Pisco, Chincha and
Ica, and will provide urgently needed shelter to victims of this
month's earthquake.

The IOM regional office in Lima is purchasing locally other
emergency items including mattresses, blankets and kitchen sets,
amongst others.

An IOM team travelled to the affected areas to assess the needs
and the placement of three camps for some 60,000 persons left
homeless by the earthquake.

"In order to select the places where these camps will be set up,
IOM is working closely with the local and national authorities,
because a lot of preparatory work needs to take place. The area has
to be cleared and levelled before the tents can be erected,"
explains Oscar Sandoval, Coordinator of IOM's Emergency Team.

IOM and its partners are striving to ensure that all camps
provide basic services to the victims, including water and
sanitation, food, security, and schooling for the children.

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.

As a lead agency in shelter and camp management IOM is working
with Peru's Civil Defence Institute (INDECI), the Ministries of
Health, Water and Sanitation, Labour, and Women and Social
Development, as well as with the local government.

The 15 August 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, Peru, and 90 miles
(161 kilometres) south-southeast of the capital Lima.

Peru's National Institute of Civil Defence reports that 519
people lost their lives and 1,366 were injured; 58,581 houses were
destroyed and thousands were damaged. Fourteen hospitals were
completely destroyed and 103 were damaged.

For more information, please contact:

Oscar Sandoval

IOM Lima

Tel: +51.1.221 709

E-mail: "mailto:osandoval@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">osandoval@iom.int