OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Peru - Earthquake
24 June 2001


1.  At 20:33 hours (GMT) on 23 June 2001 an earthquake with a magnitude of
7.9 on the Richter Scale hit Peru: epicentre was 16.14South and 73.31West
(Source: United States Geological Survey).

2.  Provinces affected are Arequipa (the city of Arequipa situated some
750 km south-east of Lima) Moquegua and Tacna (the earthquake was also
felt in northern Chile and in La Paz and surroundings in Bolivia).

3.  Preliminary information indicates some 50 dead and up to 500 persons
injured in the disaster-areas in southern Peru. Disrupture of electrical
supply and telecommunications. No reports of destruction of major urban
buildings.

4.  The President of Peru is going to the disaster-stricken area bringing
relief assistance. The Ministries of Health, Defence and Transport and the
National Civil Defence are sending assessment teams.

5.  The United Nations Resident Coordinator and the OCHA Regional Disaster
Response Advisor remain in contact with the authorities. OCHA has
mobilized the in-country UNDAC team and put on alert the overall UNDAC
team in Latin America. Humanitarian Aid/Swiss Disaster Relief is sending a
small rapid response team (expertise in building engineering, water supply
and medical requirements).

6.  So far, the Government has not requested international assistance.

7.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA website at http://www.reliefweb.int



Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers (OCHA Disaster Response Branch):
  Mr. Erik Haegglund / Mr. Carlos Pereira / Ms. Masayo Kondo
  Direct tel: +41-22-917 32 99/13 83/19 97

Press contact:
  Ms. M. Moulin-Acedo, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53


distributed by
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International Disaster Information
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
                                          web: www.cidi.org
                                     listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
comments/suggestions/requests to incident@cidi.org