Peru
Relief Effort for Peru Earthquake
September 19, 2007
Please help us to help!
You can help by donating here, and specifying 'Peru Earthquake Relief'' in the Note to Real Medicine.
A magnitude-8 earthquake struck just off the coast of central Peru on August 15, 2007. Reports from Peru count more than 1,000 deaths and at least 3,000 injured people in towns along Peru's central and southern coast. The majority of the damage and casualties occurred in Chincha Alta, Ica and Pisco. At least 80,000 people have suffered the quake's impact through the loss of loved ones or destroyed or damaged homes. We are specifically asking for help to support the Children's Hospital of Peru-USA in Lima. There are not enough beds for all children who come from the earthquake affected areas and need medical care. Many have to sleep in the streets, and every day more injured children are found. Urgently needed are medical supplies, clothes and water.
Coastal Peru has a history of very large earthquakes. The August 15 shock originated just south of the source region of the magnitude 8.1 earthquake of October 1974 and just north of the source regions of major earthquakes that occurred in August 1942 (magnitude 7.7) and 1996 (magnitude 7.7). The largest coastal Peru earthquake of the last two centuries was the magnitude 9 earthquake of 1868, which was centered about 700 km southeast of the August 15 earthquake. The 1868 shock produced a tsunami that killed several thousand people along the South American coast and also caused damage in Hawaii.
Photos and power point presentations: courtesy of Zoila Webster.
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