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Peru

Picking up the pieces following Peru's deadly quake

Susana Arroyo

A week has passed since the devastating earthquake, which struck Peru on 15 August, killing more than 500 people and shattering the lives of tens of thousands.

As residents continue to mourn their loved ones and search through the rubble for what's left of their possessions, the International Federation's Susana Arroyo examines what conditions are like for people trying to start over in the ruined city of Pisco.

This city in the middle of the desert, famous for its dunes and beautiful beaches, was one of the places hardest hit by the quake along Peru's southern coast. Houses, hospitals, shops and services were all wiped out in an instant.

From one day to the next, life for Pisco's 120,000 inhabitants changed completely. They have lost their relatives, their friends, their homes, their belongings and their livelihoods. The only thing that remains for many is the hope that help is on its way.

"During two minutes I thought it was the end of the world," says 54-year-old Marta Rodríguez. "But now we are living without our families and this feels like the end of the world."

Marta lives in Nueva Alameda, one of the poorest districts in Pisco. She told Peruvian Red Cross volunteers, who were carrying out a damage assessment, that she and her five grandsons are now living in a basic shelter, along with 500 other families, that they organized by themselves.

At least 3,000 quake survivors, like Marta, are believed to be living on soccer fields and any other rubble-free patches of land they can find in Pisco. Using wood, plastic bags and sheets, they have built up precarious spaces to stay for the coming weeks.

"Here, at least we have a warm place for our kids during these cold nights," says Marta, adding that she's worried about an uncertain future.

"The hotel I used to work has fallen down. How will I get money to feed my family? How long should we wait until our lives get normal again?" she asks.

In response to the needs of thousands of people like Marta, the International Federation has significantly increased its appeal for emergency funds to assist the quake survivors.

More than 5.6 million Swiss francs ($4.7 million USD / &euro3.4 million) are now being sought to provide help to around 37,500 people over the next nine months.

"The situation in Pisco and also in Ica remains difficult for the thousands of families who lost their homes and belongings in the disaster," says Giorgio Ferrario, the International Federation's regional representative in Lima.

"The remoteness of the affected area, damage to roads and the desperate situation of so many people have made it difficult to get help where it's needed most."

Thanks to an "air bridge" established between Lima and Pisco, more help is now arriving each day, with plane load after plane load of relief supplies coming into the quake-affected zone.

The shipments of blankets, food, tools, mats, clothes and water are being distributed by Red Cross volunteers and staff, who say the planes are also delivering hope, humanity and solidarity.

"I arrived in Peru four weeks ago to support families affected by a cold wave in the Andes, but suddenly this earthquake happened," says Juan Ramón Munguía, a Red Cross logistics volunteer from Nicaragua.

"In my country, we are used to frequent tremors, but since the beginning I knew this was something big... Now I am in charge of receiving all planes arriving at Pisco airport, and guaranteeing that all items are ready to be distributed," he adds.

Volunteers and delegates from around the world, specialized in search and rescue, psychological support, relief and logistics, are participating in the disaster response, which has received support from the International Federation's Pan-American Disaster Response Unit in Panama.

"We came here to carry out search and rescue, but sadly, we didn't find people alive under the rubble," says David Pulido, a member of the Colombian Red Cross who's an expert in getting people out from under collapsed structures.

"Now we are working to provide basic health care and relief to families in Paracas and elsewhere," he adds. "We are working as one big Red Cross team, no matter where we come from."

Over the next few weeks, volunteers and delegates like David and Juan Ramón will continue helping vulnerable residents on the road to recovery in close coordination with the authorities, other aid agencies and communities.

"We are here to work with the communities and not just on their behalf," explains Flavio Gálvez, a Peruvian Red Cross volunteer.

"They know better than any one what their needs and vulnerabilities are. More than anything, they know what their capacities and strengths are to start all over again."