More than 100 people were killed and 1,100 injured after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake rocked southern Peru and northern Chile June 23. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) is helping survivors in southern Peru by distributing blankets, drinking water, and tents to 1,000 families in the Moquegua area, about 20 miles south of Arequipa.

ADRA Peru staff report that electric lines are down in many places and that blocked and damaged roads are slowing delivery of relief supplies. Aftershocks continue to keep people out in the cold of winter, according to Frank Teeuwen, bureau chief for disaster preparedness and response for ADRA International.  Approximately 47,000 people have been impacted by the disaster.

“We are appealing for cash donations only because people need help right now,” says Teeuwen. “Shipping food and material items will take too much time. People’s lives have been completely turned upside down. With temperatures dipping below zero at night, we must focus on the urgent need for shelter.”

The epicenter of the quake was located about 120 miles west of Arequipa, Peru’s second largest city. In Moquegua, an estimated 60 percent of the city’s homes were destroyed. In Chile, the city of Arica sustained the most damage. The quake rattled Lima, Peru, for more than a minute.

Peru is located in the so-called “circle of fire,” an area that begins on the American continent and extends to the Asian coast.  This is one of the most active seismic zones on the planet, with 80 percent of the world’s earthquakes occurring in this area.

To support ADRA’s efforts in Peru, call toll-free in the United States: 1-800-424-ADRA (2372). Outside the United States, visit ADRA’s Web site at www.adra.org.