Summary: 18 August 2007, Brussels - In a fast-track 'primary emergency' decision, the European Commission has allocated €2 million to people affected by Wednesday's earthquake in Peru. Beneficiaries are around 50,000 of the most vulnerable populations. The Commission's funds will be used to cover their urgent needs, including food, emergency shelter, medical assistance, hygiene kits, water and sanitation, basic household tools as well as the establishment of emergency telecommunications facilities and psycho-social counselling. The assistance is channelled through the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department, ECHO, under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.
Commissioner Michel said: "It is crucial to help those who are suffering from the consequences of the earthquake rapidly and effectively. People need medical assistance, clean water, food and shelter, as the earthquake-affected region is currently facing a cold spell especially at night."
Information from the stricken zone is still sketchy because of access problems. In addition, aftershocks continue to strike Peru's central coast.
An ECHO rapid response team is in the earthquake-affected region, assessing the needs and liaising with ECHO partner organisations on the ground on operations to be funded.
In addition, Peru is one of the countries in which the European Commission funds disaster preparedness programmes, called DIPECHO (Disaster Preparedness ECHO). The aim is to improve the capacity of communities at risk from natural disasters, so that they can better prepare for and protect themselves against such catastrophes.
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