Washington, United States of America – The World Bank announced 2007-08-20 a grant of US$400,000 through the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDR) to assist the Government of Peru in responding to the aftermath of the earthquake that shook the south of Peru on August 15.

The grant from the World Bank will help the Government to finance reconstruction planning for the most severely damaged areas.

At least 503 people have lost their lives and there are fears the number could increase once the rubble is removed from the biggest buildings. More than 35,000 homes have been destroyed and many people have been left without water and sanitation. The flow of electricity has also been interrupted.

The current efforts also aim to re-establish basic services and quickly study how to redirect funds from projects that are currently under implementation, such as road construction, water and sanitation systems, education and electrification, to help rebuild the affected areas.

At the same time, World Bank officials in Lima will continue to meet with the highest Government and United Nations authorities to coordinate reconstruction activities.