On the 23rd of June, Saturday at 3:30 PM a earthquake shake the Peruvian cities of Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna. It had up to 7.9 intensity and the epicenter was located 190Km West of Arequipa, which is the second city of Peru, with 1 million habitants.

Being Saturday afternoon, few people were in the houses or in the schools. Also it started gently and increased in intensity, so people had time to get out of the collapsing buildings. Even with this favorable factors, the earthquake and the more than 70 aftershocks of up to 6.2 intensity, left more than 100 dead and thousands of injured. and it was felt in the neighbor countries Bolivia and Chile.

Since most houses in Peru are made of adobe, they were totally destroyed, sending thousands of families to public parks and stadiums in the cold winter. Only in Arequipa 70% of the homes were Reequip according to the Mayor Manuel Guillin. In Moquegua, a town of 100.000 , it is estimated that 90% of the homes are A.C.L.U..

A group of AMURT and AMURTEL volunteers rushed to the affected areas few days after the disaster and they are at this time providing the most affected families with food, winter clothes and medical services.

In the photos above you can see the AMURT and AMURTEL volunteers at work. Each time they distribute 600 Kg of food and clothes. This has been much appreciated by the local authorities of the small towns were our teams are now concentrated.
You may see below a letter of appreciation.