A Year After

Other Types:
Pisco earthquake update

By Lorraine Caputo

On August 15, 2007, a magnitude-8 earthquake struck Peru’s Southern Pacific Coast. The epicenter was located 48 kilometers (30 miles) west-northwest of Chincha, about 144 kilometers (90 miles) south of Lima. The tremor destroyed 80% of Pisco and caused a tsunami that swiped Pisco Playa, and Playa Chaco and Lagunillas at Paracas. Over 500 persons were killed. About 360 are yet listed as missing. Reconstruction in the areas has been slow, dependent on the personal abilities of its denizens and corruption.

With the one-year anniversary of the earthquake approching, Pisco residents declared massive demonstrations. Their frustrations were many-fold. After the pull-out of the military, crime soared. Houses donated by Turkey, Venezuela, Chile and other countries still hadn’t been fully distributed. The mayor would not allow a Cuban medical brigade to set up within the city, despite the hospital being barely functional. A citizens group was demanding a recall election of the mayor, but signed petitions were stolen at gunpoint. Rubble yet piled high in lots and streets. The cemetery’s deadline for burying the dead in private graves was running out. But many did not have the money for burials or for rebuilding. Just a few weeks before the one-year mark, the government sent in 100 national police reinforcements. Finally ruins were cleared away. But, Pisqueños say, the debris hadn’t been checked for bodies of the missing. Nor do they know where the bodies they couldn’t rebury were dumped.

Pisco’s rebuilding has been slow. The donated provisional houses are now being erected, so families may protect their claims to lots. New constructions of “earthquake-resistant bamboo” are going up, like the Compañía church and the planned Minimercado Santa Rosa. Those hotels and restaurants that were not damaged by the quake or whose owners had money to rebuild have reopened. Many of the budget hostels, though, were totally destroyed. Electricity still is subject to brownouts. Some travelers are now chosing to stay in this city. Their money is helping the base economy of the city.

After the quake many tourists opted to stay in Paracas and Playa Chaco, which were less affected, and are using that as their base for visiting Islas Ballestas and the National Reserve. Though swept by the tidal wave, Paracas Peninsula protected Chaco from being more heavily damaged. Reconstruction is apace in the village. Its mayor has taken the opportunity to build new kiosks for the small eateries along the seafront.

Ica was also shattered by the 2007 tremor. Almost every church was damaged and still are closed. Santuario del Señor del Lurén has a temporary home built by the community itself. Repair of the old church is projected to take up to five years. The majority of hotels and restaurants, however, survived the tremor’s brunt. The tourism information office, which had been in the damaged city hall, is yet to reopen. Most businesses have found new locales and again are providing services. Rubble from destroyed homes still mound in lots.

Universally, people in the affected towns complain about access materials for rebuilding their businesses and homes. Those that had money can rebuild. But for many, the hope remains distant, as prices for cement and other materials have tripled in price. The government, they state, has not implemented any policies to prevent such gouging. But with time and our tourism money, families will have the funds for rebuilding.