Oxfam’s supporters have sprung into action, donating over $200,000 and enabling us to begin providing clean water, sanitation services, and shelter to thousands of families in remote regions.

To help right now, donate to Oxfam’s Peru Earthquake Relief and Recovery Fund. https://donate.oxfamamerica.org/02/peru_earthquake/n2d_Ko2d10tJ-?

Oxfam's humanitarian officer in Peru, Sergio Alvarez, traveled to the worst hit zone immediately after the quake – including rural areas which he could only reach on foot, which he described as “virtually stranded by the outside world.”

"The urban areas are being better attended but the rural areas and the city's outskirts have received very little attention so far," said Sergio. Only 120,000 of a total 665,000 inhabitants of the affected region live in Pisco.

That’s why Oxfam is concentrating its efforts on rural areas that are less visible and face difficulties in reaching out to the media and authorities. These include Independencia and Humay, where 40% of the inhabitants have had their homes severely damaged. We are also providing aid in the city of Pisco, where all the adobe houses were destroyed – that’s 70% of the buildings – leaving only the modern structures standing.

Many communities are cut off completely by collapsed bridges or landslides that have made roads impassable. People are living on the streets in terrible conditions; if their homes aren’t destroyed, they fear the constant aftershocks – over 450 of them so far.

Access to food and water are major issues. Sergio reports: "Only a few communities have water wells, which means they will not have water even when electricity comes back. The other main concern is that these villages are running out of food, and as of now, they are receiving very little or no aid at all."

You can help us respond more effectively by donating today.

We anticipate the recovery from this disaster will take months, not weeks. So Oxfam is in it for the long haul, not just providing immediate aid but planning for long-term recovery and building local capacity to respond to the ongoing needs of affected families.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Raymond C. Offenheiser

President

Oxfam America

P.S. The destruction caused by Hurricane Dean in the Caribbean this week is also of paramount concern to Oxfam America. We are closely monitoring the situation, and we will keep you updated on Oxfam's response as events progress.

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