|
Responding to Children Affected by the Earthquake in Peru
| ||
Westport, Conn. (August 22, 2007) — Save the Children has begun to distribute life-saving supplies and services to those families impacted by last week's earthquake that rocked the southern region of Peru. Many of those left destitute are children and youth who are now living in the streets.
According to the latest count by the National Institute for Civil Defense (INDECI), 540 people died across the quake-hit region, 1,039 were injured, and more than 176,000 people were left homeless.
Save the Children plans to deliver the majority of these life-saving materials to Ica and Chincha, two provinces outside of Pisco in critical need of supplies.
"It has been difficult to get through to the most severely affected areas, but progress is being made and we now know what it is the families are most in need of and where they are located," said Rudy Von Bernuth, who heads emergency response operations for Save the Children. "Children have lost their homes, their clothes, their food – everything. It is absolutely critical that these life-saving essentials reach them."
Save the Children is responding with Irish Aid and the Italian government, who have funded the emergency supplies, and World Food Programme who provided the flight.
Related Story: Peruvian photographer Mario Testino launches Save the Children global appeal.
