Peru: Problems continue with earthquake relief

Monday will be the two-month anniversary of the deadly Peruvian earthquakes which officially killed over 500 people and left tens of thousands homeless. Despite the best intentions of celebrities and charities problems remain with relief efforts and assisting survivors.

Last week, the head of Peru’s civil defense organization admitted that only a quarter of earthquake debris had been cleared partly due to a lack of heavy machinery. Meanwhile, aid groups in Peru have finished the “emergency phase” though some survivors were getting impatient with the achingly slow clean-up and lack of government support:

Nationally, Garcia's approval rating jumped almost 10 points after the quake. The president rushed to Pisco and spent days on national television directing the initial disaster response.

People in Pisco are bewildered by such polls.

"He's not doing anything. He just came down here, worried that dust wouldn't fall on his shoes," said retired cotton farmer Vidal Melgar, whose walls were severely cracked.

Despite the problems we continue to call on you to please donate to charitable groups that are assisting earthquake survivors. Here are three links you can check out if you want to help:

• American Red Cross
• CARE
• Oxfam America

Image- BBC News

Sources- The Latin Americanist, Living In Peru, American Red Cross, CARE, Oxfam America, International Herald Tribune