MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
22 August 2007

Caritas Responds to Peru Quake

Catholic humanitarian agency Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has pledged $15,000 towards relief in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Peru last week.

The earthquake, measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, has claimed more than 500 lives, injured some 1500 people, and left tens of thousands homeless. The international Caritas network has launched a $US11 million appeal to support Caritas Peru’s emergency assistance to survivors.

Caritas Peru is working with local Church and government bodies in the hardest hit areas of Ica, Pisco, Cañete, and Chincha, south of the capital Lima, to meet the immediate needs of about 10,000 affected families. Emergency shelter, water, food and medicines are the key priority for those affected by the earthquake. Caritas Peru also plans to distribute materials for temporary shelters, and to rebuild schools so children can get back to classes as early as possible. However access to many isolated rural communities is difficult.

Secretary General of Caritas Peru, Jorge LaFosse, said “We’re still getting strong aftershocks, so it makes the work quite nerve-wracking and difficult to carry out.”

He signalled that the scale of the emergency is much graver than is generally being reported. The earthquake destroyed about 85 percent of buildings and homes in the Pisco city area.

Donations to Caritas for the Peru Earthquake appeal can be made in the following ways:
* Phone 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations or
* Donate online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz or
* Post donations to: Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand, PO Box 12-193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, NEW ZEALAND.

Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, the confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development, and social service organisations working in over 200 countries and territories.

ENDS

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