Caritas Responding to Chile Earthquake
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand has pledged NZ$25,000 towards international Caritas relief efforts in Chile, following the
8.8 magnitude quake that hit the South American country on Saturday. Caritas is also accepting donations from the
public.
Director of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Michael Smith said, “We’re in the early stages of assessing damage and needs.
Our international network is sending an emergency response team into Chile to help local staff. That team will be headed
by Caritas Internationalis Humanitarian Director Alistair Dutton, who’ll be travelling from Haiti.”
The team will also include a Mexican search and rescue team that saw service in Haiti and earthquake specialists from
Peru.
“We’ve sent a message of solidarity and support to our counterparts Caritas Chile,” said Mr Smith. “We’ll be closely
watching developments in Chile and respond further as the need arises.”
“We hope the fact that New Zealanders experienced a tsunami alert arising from the quake will increase their sense of
solidarity with people in Chile, and gratitude that we did not fare worse here.”
Caritas Chile provides emergency relief and social assistance to people in Chile. It has significant experience in
emergencies going back many years, including emergency relief in May 1960 after a 9.5 magnitude quake - the biggest ever
recorded - also sent tsunami waves around the Pacific.
Donations to Caritas for Chile can be made by:
•Phoning 0800 22 10 22 to make credit card donations or
•Donating online using a credit card at www.caritas.org.nz or
•Posting to Caritas, PO Box 12193, Thorndon, Wellington 6144, New Zealand.
Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is a member of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic aid, development
and social justice agencies active in over 200 countries and territories.
ENDS.