LOC13:00
10:00 GMT
VIENNA, Aug 23 (KUNA) -- The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)
has approved a grant of USD200,000 for victims of the massive earthquake that
recently hit the central coastal region of Peru.
OFID Director-General Suleiman Al-Herbish said in a statement Thursday that
the grant, to be channeled through the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCRC), would be used to procure essential
supplies and finance emergency operations.
He added that the destruction left at least 450 dead, 1,500 injured and
rendered tens of thousands homeless. The earthquake also cut off electricity
and communications in several regions.
Among areas severely hit was the town of Pisco, with a population of over
54,000 where about 70 percent of the basic infrastructure was either damaged
or destroyed.
According to the OFID statement, the Peruvian government had declared a
state of emergency in the worse-hit areas, and was coordinating with the
IFRCRC in channeling relief materials.
Immediate needs include water and water purification tablets, clothes,
blankets, beddings, plastic sheetings and psychological support.
The amount will be drawn from the OFID Special Grant Account for Emergency
Aid Operations. Since its inception in December 2005, a total of USD 6.2
million has been disbursed for a variety of emergency aid assistance around
the world. (end)
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