By NNN-UNNS
Lima : Clean water, basic sanitation, food, shelter and temporary jobs have become the priority needs in the wake of last week’s deadly earthquake in Peru, United Nations relief officials said Monday as they prepared to launch a flash appeal to help survivors while maintaining an emergency aid effort that has continued since the disaster hit.
UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Coordinator Jorge Chediek said the situation in the worst affected areas of Peru was starting to stabilize, five days after the quake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, struck during the evening rush-hour. At least 610 people were killed and more than 1,000 others wounded.
Mr. Chediek told UN Radio that “the delivery of basic goods and services to the people affected” has improved since the immediate days and hours after the quake struck, and UN agencies were working to help the Peruvian Government manage its relief operations and begin the phases of reconstruction and rehabilitation.
About $1 million has already been allocated by the UN through funds from different agencies, including the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UNDP and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Those agencies have been mobilizing food, sanitation supplies, medial support and other aid now in the pipeline.
Mr. Chediek said a flash appeal is set to be launched to help the survivors, many of whom have lost their homes or their livelihoods as a result of the quake, whose epicentre was in the department of Ica, about 161 kilometres southeast of the national capital, Lima.
He added that the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), set up to provide rapid assistance following crises, has preliminarily approved a grant of $10 million to support relief efforts to an estimated 60,000 people.
“The priorities are to provide shelter, water, sanitation, food and temporary employment to the people most affected by the earthquake,” Mr. Chediek said.
OCHA reported that Peruvian authorities have established an air bridge to the city of Pisco, one of the hardest-hit centres, to deliver humanitarian supplies and allow the quick deployment of international aid workers.
Two UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team members are also working in Lima to help the Government identify the areas that have yet to be covered, while three other UNDAC staff are in Pisco, where a coordination centre has been located.