Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

The earthquake felt in the region of Arequipa early this morning lasted for 17 minutes but residents only felt it for 25 seconds, said Armando Minaya, the director of the Geophysical Institute at University of San Agustin.

Minaya explained that the people of Arequipa felt the first 25 seconds of the earthquake because they were the strongest but did not perceive the rest, which was registered by seismographs.

"Aftershocks were not registered after the earthquake this morning, nevertheless, the possibility of there being some has not been discarded," said the head of the institute.

While media in Peru have only reported minor injuries to people in the affected area, Reuters news service reported that a 93-year-old man had died in a hospital after an adobe wall fell on him.

Local media has reported; however, that farmland in the region has been seriously affected.

70 hectares of land in Lari, a district in the province of Caylloma has sunk into the ground, said the mayor of the district.

He explained that in some areas land had sunk by as much as three meters (over 9 feet), stating this would affect at least 120 families that were expecting to plant and harvest crops.

Pictures taken in Lari, which is approximately a four-hour drive from the city of Arequipa, show that there are cracks in the land.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Arequipa, one of Peru's southern cities and the country's second largest, was hit by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake early Tuesday morning, reported the US Geological Survey.

It was reported that residents in and near the city of Arequipa, which is 721 kilometers (448 miles) southeast of Lima, were startled and ran out of their homes when the shaking began.

Residents refused to reenter their homes for some time, fearing they may be caught in an aftershock.

According to the USGS, the epicenter of the quake was in a mountainous region 53 kilometers (33 miles) north-northwest of the city and 74 kilometers (46 miles) in depth.

While local media and civil defense authorities have reported that there are not any initial signs of injuries or damage, it is known that a magnitude 6 quake can cause serious damage.

It was reported the earthquake was felt in neighboring regions as well. There were reports of movement in the regions of Moquegua and Tacna.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz


According to a correspondent for Peru's El Comercio daily, it has not been reported that any Peruvians were killed in the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that destroyed a region of small cities and towns north of the provincial capital of Sichuan in China.

Patricia Castro Obando, who is reporting from Beijing - 1545 km (960 miles) northeast of the epicenter - confirmed that it had not officially been reported that there were any Peruvian deaths among the 8,700 people that have died and over 10,000 that were injured.

Furthermore, Castro Obando reported, "according to the Peruvian consulate in Beijing, there aren't any Peruvians in Sichuan, the province where the epicenter was located. Despite this, we know there is a Peruvian, Juan Cárdenas, who has lived in the region for eight years."

El Comercio's correspondent made an effort to get in touch with Cárdenas but has not been able to do so.

"We haven't been able to get in touch with him. I have his cellular phone number but it's disconnected. It is believed that he went on a trip to the mountains," said Castro Obando.

At 2:28 p.m. (1:28 a.m. - Lima) the 7.9-magnitude earthquake toppled buildings, schools and a chemical plant, killing almost 9,000 people and trapping many others under massive amounts of concrete, steel and earth.

It has been labeled as the worst earthquake in three decades.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

The damage caused by the magnitude-8 earthquake that struck Peru on August 15 will cost $450 million to repair, revealed reports at the 22nd Donors Forum held in Lima.

After eight months of controversial reconstruction, Peru's Housing Minster and the new head of the South Reconstruction Fund (FORSUR), Enrique Cornejo presented a plan to rebuild Peru's southern provinces to international donors.

The plan comprises approximately 600 projects such as the construction of schools, homes, hospitals, water and electric systems among others.

He explained that this was not only a chance the country had to rebuild the region but also an opportunity to further development in Ica.

According to the housing minister, the earthquake has made many reflect on development and environmental problems. He explained that this was why it was a chance to "do things better".

Of the 450 million dollars FORSUR has said are needed to rebuild Peru's southern provinces, the housing minister stated that 20 - 30 percent would be donated by international organizations.

Cornejo affirmed that it was important to keep these organizations informed on the progress being made.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Petra Nemcova, founder and president of the Happy Hearts Fund, is once again in Peru to provide aid to the country's neediest people.

Nemcova, also a Victoria Secret's model, has media in Peru in an uproar not just because of her beauty but also because of her charitable heart and kind contributions.

In cooperation with AFP Integra, Petra's Happy Hearts Fund is to build several schools in Ica, one of the regions worst affected by the August 15 earthquake that struck Peru.

The supermodel came to Lima to sign agreements that will provide schools for Ica's needy children and to organize a series of charity events.

According to Nemcova, her foundation and AFP Integra will not only build schools in Ica, but also in Lima and other provinces that have not been mentioned yet.

"The best thing we can give these children, who have lost everything, is a complete education and help them with other projects," said Nemcova.

She humbly denied to have pictures taken alone and explained that her main reason for being in Peru was to provide aid for the country's children.

"I've always wanted to help children," said Nemcova. "Thanks to my job I've been able to work with several organizations and a lot of charities."

Petra was in Cusco in January, also helping Peru's needy.

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz

Heavy rain, which began in Peru's northern regions a few months ago has put several of the countries regions in a state of emergency and cost thousands of people their homes and almost four dozen their lives.

According to information provided by the country's Civil Defense Institute (INDECI), approximately 589 tons of aid has been distributed to flood victims throughout the country's northern regions in the past four months.

26 people have been hurt, 46 have died, 24 are missing, 13,836 have lost their homes and 632,400 have been affected in some way because of the torrential rains.

It was reported that the majority of the people injured have been hurt because of car accidents.

In other parts of Peru, approximately 2,521 homes have been destroyed and 87,257 households have been affected, mainly because crops have been destroyed.

In addition, over 177,000 meters (110 miles) of highway have been destroyed while another 703,000 meters (436 miles) have been damaged.

INDECI also reported that approximately 666 hectares of crops have been destroyed while a total of 17,179 hectares have been damaged.

The regions which have most severely been affected are Cajamarca, Piura, Lambayeque, Amazonas and Tumbes.

(LIP-ir) -- Two earthquakes, one a magnitude 4.4 and the other a 5.4, which were felt across Peru's capital and throughout the province of Lima, struck Peru's coast early Saturday morning, said the U.S. Geological Survey.

The first occurred at approximately 1:41 a.m. and was not perceived by many of Lima's citizens.

The second, however, which was felt at 7:51 a.m., alarmed many and caused people in the country's capital to dart out of their homes and business establishments.

According to Peru's Geophysical Institute (IGP), even though there were no immediate reports of damage, citizens in the region were alarmed by the seismic movement and immediately took to the streets seeking safe places to stand.

The first earthquake's epicenter, which was just off the Peruvian coast, was at a depth of approximately 61.3 km (38.1 miles) and 75 km (45 miles) north of Lima, Peru.

The epicenter of the magnitude 5.4 quake, which was felt much more by citizens on the coast, was registered to be at a depth of 41.2 km (25.6 miles) and just 14 kilometers (9 miles) west of the country's capital.

(LIP-ir) -- A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake, which was felt in Peru's Tacna and Arequipa regions, struck northern Chile on Monday at 4:39 p.m., said the U.S. Geological Survey.

According to Peru's Geophysical Institute (IGP), even though there were no immediate reports of damage, citizens in Peru's southern regions were alarmed by the strong seismic movement and immediately exited their homes and business establishments seeking safe places to stand.

The quake's intensity was registered at III and IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in Tacna and at a II in the province of Ilo.

It was reported that the earthquake's epicenter was at a depth of more than 120km (74 miles) and 145km (90 miles) east of the coastal city of Iquique.

Although mining companies in Peru and Chile reported that there were not initial damages, miners in Chile's copper-rich region said they felt the quake.

Chile's disaster agency (ONEMI) also reported that there were no reports of damage or power disruptions.

This is the second quake felt today in Peru. The first was a magnitude-3.9 on the Richter scale and was registered at 12:06 a.m. in the provinces of Pisco and Chincha.

(LIP-ir) -- The death toll has risen to fifty in what has been labeled one of Peru's most tragic boat accidents in history.

The "Santa Elena" was carrying passengers and cargo when it capsized on the Tapiche River Thursday.

According to local news, nineteen children, from newborns to 12 year olds, lost their lives in the accident, which took place in the region of Loreto, over 500 miles from Lima.

Peru's National Police reported that of the fifty people who are considered dead, only eight have been found.

Despite the efforts of citizens in the area, Peru's Navy and the national police, the missing bodies have not been found.

Strong winds and torrential rain are the reasons thought to be responsible for the boat flipping over, said national police officers. Santa Elena was carrying approximately 100 passengers when the tragic accident happened Thursday evening.

Several bodies have been found downstream while others have been taken from different compartments on the vessel, said Alfonso Cárdenas, a municipal authority.

Despite difficult weather conditions, rescue efforts continue. A family of four was found alive beneath the overturned hull 20 hours after the accident.

A mother and her three children were kept alive by an air bubble that rose to the top of the hull when the boat capsized.

(LIP-ir) -- Two tremors, one registered a magnitude-3.9 and the other registered a magnitude-4.4, startled residents in the region of Arequipa (640 miles S.E. of Lima) and hundreds in the province of Pisco (250 miles S.E. of Lima) early Monday morning.

Peru's Geophysical Institute reported that the tremor, which shook the province of Caravelí, Arequipa worst, was registered a magnitude-3.9 on the Richter scale.

It was reported the tremor took place at 6:05 a.m. (local time) with its epicenter 5.5 miles northeast of Atico, one of Caravelí's thirteen districts, and almost 14 miles deep.

Still recovering from a magnitude-8 earthquake, residents in Pisco were much more startled as the tremor shook the province at 10:52 a.m.

According to Peru's Geophysical Institute, the 4.4-magnitude tremor was registered 83 miles west of Pisco and just over 16 miles deep. It was reported that a great deal of the province's people were alarmed and exited their homes.

There have not been reports of casualties or damages for either of the earthquakes.