The Peruvian Earthquake: family updates and lender status

[Guest]

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[Ramón]

Just a quick update here. As many on this forum know, Perú got hit last night at about 6:40 PM local time by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake. The epicenter was off the coast of Pisco (in the province of Ica), about 100 miles south of Lima.

As many also know, we have family in Perú and, a substantial part of this family (grandparents, cousins, etc.) live in the city of Ica. Although smaller coastal towns like Pisco and Cañete were definitely worse affected (reports are that 70% of the town of Pisco was destroyed), most casualties were in Ica, simply because that's where the highest population density is.

As for the state of the family, we think that all are OK. Obviously, phone lines (land/mobile) are non-functional right now, and physical transport between Lima and Ica is all but impossible over the road. The condo of one of the cousins (here, just to the left of the arrow) was destroyed-- she lived at the 4th floor with husband and 3 small children. I have no clue if they were home, but at least they were reported to be safe in home of her parents.  However, there is no electricity, streaming water, or telephone right now. Although there is definitely quite a lot of poverty around, this area has a developed middle class, and we communicated regularly with them through "modern" means like IM and Skype.

This is exactly where we spent our vacation last February, right in the zone around the epicenter. We even stayed a weekend on the beach in Paracas, a stone's throw away from Pisco. This is as close as you can get to the epicenter while not going out on the sea. (See here for pictures-- you'll see it looks all quite idyllic.)

Once the "fog of war" clear a little, we'll have to start thinking of relief efforts. The last time a natural disaster struck Ica was in 1996, when the city flooded due to El Niño. It took them 10 years to repair the basic infrastructure then. Hopefully they will be able to do something a bit faster now, since the Peruvian economy has grown quite a lot since that time.

I'll update the thread if I have any more pertinent information.

--Ramón

[Kay]

Thank you for the update, Ramón.  I'm sure we'll all be hoping for best. 

[Diane R]

I was thinking of your family, Ramon, (and our entrepreneurs in Peru) when I read the news yesterday. Thank you for the update, our thoughts are with your family and others...

--Diane.

[fredr1c]

Ramón,

I'm glad to hear that your family is safe and sound. 

A disaster like this can be all too abstract unless you have family or friends in the affected area, or know of someone who does.

I hope and pray that things will improve quickly for your loved ones and for everyone else affected by the quake.

Fred

[Jill]

   Hey, Ramón,
        I posted you earlier about this, in Reply #325, http://www.kivafriends.org/index.php/topic,458.320.html ,
and just came back to discover your thread.
       This is like the Mark Agwonah "phenomenon,"
maybe even a little more intensified since we have all gotten to know you and care about you.

      I guess it's the Kiva phenomenon, too.
    All this stuff just feels So Much Closer To Home, now, when it happens.
    And we feel it so much more, now. 
     It's happening to one of us.

    Am very Very much hoping you will soon get confirmation
that all of your people there are safe.
          Cuidaté     (Take care),
          Jill

     

 

[Womble]

I keep reading the news about the earthquake in Peru and wondering if any projects are currently in that area.  I am fairly new and don't have that many borrowers yet so none in Peru, but I see that we have MFIs from Peru, so I assume there must be some borrowers there.  I hope that the MFIs will post news in Journals or somewhere to let people know if their borrowers are OK.   

Womble

[Robert]

There are 31 loans with Microfinanzas Prisma (http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&queryString=Microfinanzas+PRISMA&status=All&sortBy=New+to+Old) and 18 with Finca Perú (http://www.kiva.org/app.php?page=businesses&queryString=FINCA+Peru&status=All&sortBy=New+to+Old).

[AccountAbility]

We need to somehow merge these two earthquake threads.   

[Diane R]

Diane the Moderator is happy to oblige: threads merged.

[Ramón]

The area where Kiva MFIs are active t
And that is closest to the affected part of Perú is Ayacucho. I have also family in Puno (twin city with Juliaca), she tells me that Puno is not affected. I would expect existing Kiva entrepreneurs not to be directly affected; however note that the road from Ayacucho to Lima passes through Chincha, a coastal town that has been all but destroyed. The Panamericana Sur highway, between Lima and Chincha has also been destroyed at several places, so I'd expect transport to and from Ayacucho to be very difficult.

BTW, if you ever see any grapes or asparagus in your grocery stores that are labeled Product of Perú, they are from Ica, probably from around Pisco. If you are fashion-conscious and wear La Coste polo shirts, they are made in Cañete, Perú. Not that I feel even close to sorry for La Coste's sweat shops in Perú, but I guess they got themselves a logistics issue. Cañete is destroyed.
Small bright spot this afternoon: some of the phones in Ica are up again and we were able to contact family there. All are fine, but many of their friends and acquaintances are not. Several neighbors have family members that perished.

Bringing this post back to the topic of aid, I think that one of the challenges is, after the first relief needs are fulfilled, how to rebuild the area. Schools, roads, hospitals, water/electric/sewage infrastructure, homes and businesses. Micro-financing may help, ibut I guess this is going to take 100s of millions USD.

--Ramón

[Laurie]

Ramon, it is good to hear that your family has been spared.  Thank you for the news.  My heart feels very heavy for those who have not been so lucky and those who will need to rebuild their homes and lives.

Thanks again for all you have taught us - and continue to teach us.

Safe travels and warmest thoughts,
Laurie
Soon to be leaving Canby, Oregon, USA

[AccountAbility]

Ramón -
Thanks for bringing this far off very large event closer to home.   We do seem to weigh the import of tragedies by how close they effect us.  But the reality is that the tragedy is the same, even if (hopefully) all of your loved ones are safe.

Sometimes these big tragedies leave me feeling like I'm on the sidelines at the football game with my water bucket, standing ready to help but waiting to get called upon when my water bucket is needed.  In the meantime the game seems to be totally with the big boys. 

Micro loans may have a place, but in the meantime we will stand and wait.
Dan

[Kay]

Ramòn,

I too am relieved to hear that your relatives are okay, but I am so sad to hear about their neighbors' family members.  I also hope the aftershocks won't wreak further havoc.  I have spent more than half my life in Los Angeles--"earthquake country," of course--and while I never experienced an earthquake approaching the magnitude of the one in Peru, I know that any earthquake can be terrifying, because you never know when it will stop and/or whether it will get stronger as it goes on (even a few seconds seems like an eternity during an earthquake).  The strongest earthquake I experienced--6.4, and perhaps 30 miles from the epicenter--happened in the early morning (about 6 A.M.) and resulted in many, many aftershocks, most of them strongest in the hours following this initial quake, but overall, lasting for about 3 weeks.  Each time, you wonder, "Is this the 'big one?'"  Also, I know that aftershocks can sometimes take down buildings damaged by the initial quake, so I certainly hope your relatives are safe where they are now--and have the "necessities of life," if not necessarily all the "comforts of home."

Kay

[wind5001]

Ramón,

thanks for giving us the news. I am also relieved to hear that your family is alright. I had been thinking of you the minute I heared of the earthquake. Let's hope for relief work there.

Oli

[Ramón]

Latest update--

as you see I haven't been on KivaFriends as continuous as a few days ago. I've been busy between work, home, and following the latest from Perú.

In Ica, water and electricity are starting to come back slowly. Telephone is available again, be it quite unreliably. The latest issue is, that prices for basic needs have gone up quite dramatically, and shop owners don't dare to open their stores because of the danger of wholesale theft and looting.

In Pisco, the situation is still dire. The Plaza de Armas has become the "epicenter" (yes, bad word, I know) of all rescue and help efforts by NGOs, etc., but go a few blocks from the center of town, and people are still not reached.

If you want to see photos, here's a Flickr set that was almost entirely taken in Pisco. Warning: it's not for the fainthearted. Keep your kids and minors away.

--Ramón

[Kay]

Wow.  Thanks for the update, Ramón.  I'll keep hoping for the best.

Kay

[QueenOfHearts]

Hi Ramon,
When I heard about the earthquake in Peru while I was on vacation, I immediately thought of you and your family..I am so glad to hear that they are okay....and my thoghts and prayers are with you and your friends and family....thanks for the update.
Queen

[cpbailey]

Ramon,

I have a loan coming due next month, and I think Peru will be the beneficiary (or Mexico where the hurricane came thru).  It would be really neat to have a disaster relief loan group.  This would cover earthquakes, flood, hurricanes, drought.  Not sure about political disasters...

Colette

[Ramón]

If you want to loan to Peru, make sure you especially support Prisma Perú with your loans. In addition with the lending efforts that we're doing with Kiva, they are also directly involved with the Pisco and Ica relief efforts See this email that I got from Michelle Kreger of Kiva:

From: Michelle Kreger <michelle@kiva.org>
Date: Aug 19, 2007 10:55 PM
Subject: Fwd: Last Week's Earthquake in Peru


Hi all,

As many of you know, a large earthquake rattled Peru last week near the southern coast, about 40 miles south of Lima.  While watching the stories unfold on the NYTimes, BBC, etc, I've also been in touch with Kiva's partners and contacts in the region, many of whom I met on my recent trip to South America.  Its been a sad few days, reading emails / receiving phone calls that tell of lack of food, water, basic sanitation, hundreds of deaths, looting.   A very tough situation for sure but luckily no partners and / or borrowers that Kiva works with were affected as the majority of people our lenders are supporting are in the Andean highlands in the south and central areas of the country.

One of Kiva's partners  (Prisma) and one of our prospective partners (Caritas) have been helping to spearhead some of the relief efforts in the most affected areas-- in and around the city of Pisco.  They have each asked me to pass along the bank account information below in case anyone wishes to donate to help with purchasing emergency food, water, supplies, etc.  Here it is, and please do feel free to pass this along to friends / family that you think may be interested in contributing.  If you need help figuring out how to make a donation with the info provided, please dont hesitate to let me know and I'd be happy to help.  Heres a little idea of whats happening: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6951443.stm

Thanks all!

big hug,

Michelle

BANK INFO FOR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Prisma
Bank Name:   Banco de Credito BCP
Address:    Jiron Juan de Arona Nº 893 san Isidro - Lima 27
Account #:      193-1471951-1-00
Name of Account:    ASOCIACION BENEFICA PRISMA-RIESGO ADMINI
SWIFT Code:    BCPLPEPL
Name of Beneficiary:    ASOCIACION BENEFICA PRISMA

Caritas
Bank Name: BANCO DE CRÉDITO DEL PERÚ
Bank Address: Juan de Arona Nro. 983 - San Isidro - Perú
Account Mngr: Sr. Miguel Villanueva
Phone: 616-5930
Fax: 616-5931
Swift code: BCPLPEPL

Account Names:

CARITAS DEL PERÚ - EMERGENCIAS 193-1586582-0-79 (SOLES)

CARITAS DEL PERU - EMERGENCIAS 193-1586951-1-16 (DÓLARES

Thanks,

--Ramón

[Justin Case]

Just a quick update here. As many on this forum know, Perú got hit last night at about 6:40 PM local time by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake. The epicenter was off the coast of Pisco (in the province of Ica), about 100 miles south of Lima.

Hi.  :waves:

Just wanted to let you know that as soon as my condo here closes escrow I'm planning to go volunteer in Pisco, Perú for three months.  There's a very nice group down there, Pisco Sin Fronteras who I'll be staying with for the duration.  From what I understand we'll be removing crumbling buildings and doing new construction for homes and a variety of projects in the area.

At the moment I'm just doing research and waiting for the loan process to finish up.  If you have any questions or advice or comments feel free to reply.

[Charlee]

What a GREAT thing to do Justin!  Good Luck on your trip! 

Charlee