1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 degrees in the Richter scale struck Peru on the early evening of Wednesday 15 August 2007, totally devastating hospitals, schools, churches and government buildings in the city of Pisco (population 63,000, 51km from the epicentre), and seriously affecting the cities of Chincha Alta (popn. 161,000, 42km from epicentre), Ica (261,000, 110km) and Cañete (26,000, 32km) on the Peruvian Pacific coast. The earthquake’s depth was 30.2 kilometres (relatively shallow), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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As more than a three hundred aftershocks rocked the Peruvian Pacific coast during the following two days, the first rescuers were mobilized to pull wounded and dead from collapsed homes and churches. Hospitals were overwhelmed with injured, mainly in the cities of Chincha and Pisco, where the earthquake struck hardest.
At the time of this report, the death toll in Peru stands at over 500 and the number of injured exceeds the thousand. Both these numbers are likely to increase since there are still many affected areas that have not been reached and assessed due to their temporary inaccessibility.

The Peruvian Government immediately mobilized its available resources, mounting massive search, rescue and life-saving operations with the National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI) in the lead, involving several ministerial sectors (Health, Housing and Sanitation, Woman and Social Development, Interior, Defence, Education, etc), the Peruvian armed forces and hundreds of volunteers organizations which have rescued an important number of survivors, as well as recovering corpses.

INDECI has informed that at least 85% of housing in Pisco has been damaged; electricity and water services have been interrupted and people are facing shortages in the food supply. In the province of Ica, 60% of houses in poor areas have been destroyed; access to water and electricity are being restored but at a very slow pace. In Chincha there are serious limitations in the services of electricity, water and extension damage to housing.
The latest estimates indicate that around 8,000 people require life-saving assistance of adequate shelter, water, medical care, food, sanitation facilities, water containers, water purification tablets, tents, tarpaulin, electric generators, portable beds, blankets, tools to remove rubble. Logistics resources are paramount to ensure delivery of those relief items. Camp establishment and management will also be critical to house around 35,000 homeless. All these must be treated as equal priorities.

The Peruvian Government has officially requested support from the international cooperation and has accepted the deployment of an UNDAC team in the disaster area. It has also declared the state of emergency in the Department of Ica and province of Cañete in the Department of Lima. The situation of emergency was also declared in other provinces.
These governmental actions have been coupled with, and supported by, the relief efforts of the international community, which has concentrated initially on improving the logistics and increasing the provision of aid, as well as facilitating medical assistance and evacuation, and the provision of water, food, tents and blankets for around 8,000 people who have been directly affected by the earthquake.

Also, a great number of international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, international Search and Rescue Teams (Firemen without Borders, White Helmets, etc.), NGOs, EU and bilateral partners, immediately poured into the country and thousands of metric tonnes of relief items have been donated. Yet, as each day reveals more acute needs, it is clear that the response provided so far is insufficient.

To facilitate the flow of international aid and support, the Government of Peru has made available two airports: Jorge Chavez International Airport and the Air Base in Pisco. Nevertheless, access to the area of Pisco has been severely affected due damage to a bridge at the kilometre 78 of South Pan-American Highway, thus limiting the fluid access of heavy trucks. It is worth to mention that access to the affected area is just limited to 4x4 wheels vehicles and trucks.

The UN Resident Coordinator has activated the Emergency Operations Centre on a 24 hours basis and is regularly convening a rolling meeting of the UNDMT, which is coordinating the reply to numerous requests that the UN Agencies are receiving independently. OCHA Panama is also bringing their coordination support not only to the UN System, but also to the local authorities in order to improve their capacities.

In close coordination with the Government of Peru, and based on reports and assessments from official sources, the UN System, the UNDAC team and other partners, the Flash Appeal now requires US$ 37,332,939 for 6 months. (Of this, the country team is requesting $9.3 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund.) In-kind logistical contributions (air support, trucks, etc) put at the disposal of the UN operation will be counted against the appeal, reducing the unmet cash requirements accordingly.

NOTE: THE FLASH APPEAL WILL BE REVISED AS REQUIRED FOLLOWING NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE SITUATION. REVISIONS TO THE APPEAL MAY INCLUDE PROJECTS FROM OTHER PARTNERS.

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