Maravi

Venezuela offers to be at the disposal of Peru

Venezuela offers to be at the disposal of Peru
By Larry Moonze in Havana, Cuba
Sunday August 19, 2007 [04:00]

VENEZUELA has offered to be at the disposal of Peru which is coming to terms with a devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake that has claimed almost 500 lives. Likewise, the Organisation of American States is to call an emergency meeting to release financial support to Peru for its disaster recovery efforts through the Inter-American Emergency Aid Fund (FONDEM.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Hugo Chavez was offering, among others, to send medical materials and all the necessary consumables to face the catastrophe.

According to estimates, at least 510 people are feared dead and more than 1,000 injured.
The city of Pisco was devastated with an estimated 70 per cent of the city destroyed.
Chincha, Canete and Ica were the other hard hit areas where rescue operations continue amid the rubble.

Fire Corps deputy chief of Peru, Roberto Ognio told El Comerico on Thursday that so far the number of the dead had increased to 510 and the injured to 1,150 with 16,669 homes destroyed.

President Alan Garcia and part of his cabinet were in Pisco, city of the department of Ica most affected, where at least 200 people have died. Roads to Pisco remain impassable and there is no electricity or telephone service.
The earthquake which marked 8.0 on the Richter scale, shook the region for two minutes last Wednesday and was followed by 20 aftershocks on Thursday, the strongest reaching 5.0 on the Richter scale.

The residents of Pisco are requesting assistance to bury their dead in front of the church of San Clemente de Pisco, where only a part of the façade remains standing.
To this tragedy, President Chavez has asked all Venezuelans to be at the disposal of Peruvians.

"The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, on behalf of the government and Venezuelan people, wants to express its word of solidarity and friendship to the Peruvian government and people, in this tough moment they are living due to the devastating earthquake that affected a great part of the territory of that brother country yesterday, August 15," reads a message sent to Peru.

"Venezuelan people feel as its own the pain of the families and closest of the victims and we join, in a collective pray, to the compassion spirit that will help us to overcome this tough situation together.

"By other hand, Venezuelan government in coordination with Peruvian government will immediately proceed to send a solidarity mission led by the Humanitarian Task Force Simon Bolivar of Civil Protection, formed by specialists in disasters administration, rescue, and rescue operations in order to get incorporated to the job of support to the affected population by the earthquake."

President Chavez stated that Venezuela joined with solidarity in every helpful task that could help to overcome the anguish Peruvians were going through.
And Organisation of American States secretary general Jose Miguel Insulza said the entire Inter-American community joined their sister country of Peru in mourning the loss of lives.

"The earthquake wreaked particularly heavy damage in some of the neediest and most isolated areas of Peru," said Insulza. "Peru will benefit from international help to respond to this natural disaster, and the OAS will do everything possible to support the humanitarian aid efforts already underway and to mobilise new resources."

Labels: HUGO CHAVEZ, PERU, VENEZUELA

posted by MrK @ 3:37 AM