MSF sends a plane with relief material to Peru

On the evening of August 15, a powerful 8.0-magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Peru. According to the latest estimates from Peru’s fire service, over 500 people were killed and 1,600 injured. The most affected cities are Chincha, Pisco and Ica, located about 200 km south of the capital, Lima.

MSF is organizing a team to assess the heavily hit areas south of Lima. A cargo plane left on last Saturday (18th August) morning from Bogota, Colombia, with five tons of medical and non-medical supplies, including tents to set up dispensaries, and water and sanitation material.

MSF is sending staff to Peru from other countries in the region. A logistician and a medical doctor arrived Ica on last Saturday to assess the needs in the affected areas.

One psychologist and one water and sanitation engineer will soon arrive to reinforce the team on the ground. Additional MSF doctors and nurses may also be sent.

The earthquake was also felt strongly in Lima. On last Tuesday morning (16th August), a Lima-based MSF team assessed the situation in the slum of Villa El Salvador. MSF has been running an HIV/Aids project in this poor suburb, but the project is being handed over to the Ministry of Health, so very few MSF staff were present at the time of the earthquake. No deaths, injuries or major damage were reported in Villa El Salvador.