Humanitarian disaster in Cusco, abandoned communities help themselves
January 29, 2010
Andy Dare in Cusco borrows a pickup, and with some friends goes to do what no government or aid agency has done – provide aid to the real victims of the worst natural disaster to hit the region in decades.Get the latest news on the disaster here
Village of Lucre, Family salvaging possessions
“In these tough times the Peruvian people have shown how amazing their community spirit really is, as all over Cusco there are collecting stations, where people have been donating clothes, food & water. Companies, groups & individuals have been gathering together & doing something about this disaster for themselves, & they are pretty good at it too!
We joined in too & my Peruvian friends, Karla, Chino, David, together with Ali & Laurie who had just returned after being turned back halfway along the Inca trail.
We borrowed a pickup, chipped- in & bought several hundred litres of drinks, biscuits, tins of food, fruit & candles & matches & set off to the worse affected areas to help out as best we could on our own mission.
First we drove down to Lucre, the popular little village where Cusqueños head off at the weekend to sample their famous duck.
The little stream through the village had leapt over the walls becoming a raging torrent in the main street resulting in half the village being simply flattened & even now the people were in a stunned daze still. Here was just the saddest scene ever, with a family sifting through the mud with their bare hands trying to salvage anything, only managing to recover just a few plates & cups. Their son was clutching onto a single muddy toy, all he had managed to get out his room before it collapsed. The mother had in her hand a cherished mud covered photo, but there honestly looked like there was nothing else to be found.
I wondered where were they going to sleep that night…. & the next?
Next we drove down the valley following the trail of water damage to Pinipampa.
We were just not able to visit it, as it was still under 2m of water, with only a few roofs showing above the newly formed lake. a whole village was gone – simple not there any more!
We drove to the single house on the edge of the lake & started donating supplies, & pretty soon people appeared desperately running to us to get anything they could. The faces told us all, long drawn & sad. There was little squabbling & people pointed to their neighbours who had lost their whole homes to make sure they got plenty.
Sad, numbing & unbelievable – one group of three turned up on three car inner tubes from the middle of the lake where their roof was just poking above the water. There were other family members sitting on the roof, waiting for the water to subside, but being built of Adobe, I would not have thought that it would have stood much longer, as we had seen the results of water & mud at Lucre.
Finally we returned to Huacarpay, where the whole village except the school was underwater, & most of the houses collapsed or were still collapsing. People were setting up tents & shelters on the side of the hill above the water, with the few processions they had managed to salvage.
While we were there about 5-6 cars & trucks appeared to give out aid, & it was incredibly emotional to see them so obviously desperate for anything, that there was almost fighting breaking out for the small bags of pasta being dished out. The village elders were trying to keep things organised, as were a hand full of police, but it was a hard task driven by the desperation of the people here.
On returning to Central Cusco we visited churches & plazas & everywhere people were bringing, food water & clothes.
I find the community spirit this place has to be just amazing, as the people doing the giving don’t really have much themselves even.
The latest government figures from the Cusco region alone are shocking:
25,000 homes completely destroyed & that was according to the government figures from yesterday (27th), so I wonder how many more now?
Today (28th) the government estimate is 80,000 people are affected, but even today, there has just been a huge landslide west of Cusco destroying a whole village.
Shocking!
- Andy Dare
Comments (18)
How can I help? Is there any donation mechanism?
Thanks, Jean-François
Am heartbroken over this — was there for the first time
last November & fell in love with Cusco/Sacred Valley & its people. Traveled with Overseas Adventure Travel & am in touch with their Foundation (Grand Circle) to see if they can launch a donation drive or match their customer’s donations – they did that for Haiti.
Am about to launch photography website & will think of ways to donate % of photo sales to relief work for this.
Keep me posted please –
Thanks – Tracy
Great job updating on this terrible situation Stuart.
I’m actually in the US for awhile, but my family in Cusco tells me the city is okay for now, but the Sacred Valley and the Valley of the South are in bad shape.
I visited all areas last June. I am deeply moved!!!
I was searching for any organization on web that is helping with collecting money but I found none. If you know please let me know.
We have to help each other!
I’m afraid no-one is interested in Peru and as of yet no international organisations have taken up the cause. Within Peru there are account set up to donate to though.
I’d collect the money myself, but wouldn’t want to face Wyclef-style problems.
I am truly amazed at how the world media is basically ignoring this tragedy! I have been calling and emailing newspapers and TV stations to try to get some coverage. My heart really goes out to the Peruvian people and I would like to help. If you know any organizations that I can donate to, please post this information. Thanks very much for your coverage.
Does anyone know if the city of Calca is ok? I have family who live by the river in the main town of Calca.
I haven’t been able to call family no answer.
Vivian,
I’m afraid Calca was as badly hit as the rest of the valley. This is Calca now: http://vimeo.com/9091716
Donations can be made to the following accounts:
CAMARA DE COMERCIO CUSCO-DAMNIFICADOS
account # 193-1853603-0-61
“Cámara de Comercio de Cusco-Damnificados”
Scotiabank
Account in Nuevo Soles 780-7777777
BBVA Banco Continental
account Corriente en Soles. 0011-0444-44-4444444444
I travel to Peru in 2008 on a private tour with Kuoda Travel. She sent an update to me and had the following suggestion as a place to donate:
For money donations the following is a good organization that is managing many of the resources to help the people in need in Cusco and Sacred Valley
Name: Camara De Comercio Cusco-Damnificados
To: Banco de Credito del Peru,
Bank Address: Av. Sol 189, Cusco-Peru
Account number: 193-1853603-0-61
SWIFT code: BCPLPEPL
For any of you who would like to try and help we are trying to do something about it. Serenity By The Sea, Transformational Tours and We The Sheep People are trying to find a way to help. So please if you have a Facebook Account please join our group called “Emergency In Cusco” the media is doing nothing and we are determined to get some help out to those families since the world seems to have turned there eye away and focus just on the Haiti crisis and have seemed to forget about Peru. Thank you very much. We are also in the process of getting a website up which i will post here as soon as it is online. Thank you again for your support.
My heart goes out to the residents of Aguas Calientes. Will definitely help out whatever I can.
Does anyone know what the weather situation is like in Ollantaytambo, Puerto Maldonado and Lake Titicaca?
We were planning to visit Machu Picchu this weekend, but have to re-route. Would like to know if these 3 sites are okay (I understand it is rainy season but we’re fine as long as it is not severe). Thanks.
Most of the southern Andes have seen severe floods. In Aguas Calientes we are talking about a couple of thousand tourists inconvenienced by being stranded for a few days… across the region though we have seen more than 20,000 made homeless.
Lake Titicaca and Puerto Maldonado are ok, but I strongly recommended you change your plans and visit northern Peru instead. This area of the country often ignored by visitors is cheaper and more interesting. We’re talking colourful colonial cities, spectacular museums filled with gold (best museums in the country), valleys lined with pre-colombian pyramids, rolling green mountains, lost pre-incan cities, tropical mangroves and spectacular beaches.
I can point you to some links if you like.
I have been reading over Peru for a year now on your site. I will be going in the regions around Cusco for over a month in early November to search for my daughter Natalie Lafrance and her daughter Chia Sumac around 7 yrs of age ( she has been there for almost 9 yrs now) but no news for the last 5 yrs… They call her “la Canadiana”. Should you hear anything, pls let me know. You love Peru and they are sureley grateful to you right now, you reach a lot of people.
Charlotte