In addition to strict building codes, the government along w defensa civil and the media needs to prepare people for catastrophes. The main problem is lack of communication and organization. The earthquake in Pisco, only 2 hrs away from Lima, showed how unprepared we are.

The instituto de Geofisico del Peru and the Navy need to play a more active role. It seems that there is no communication between the gov and these two important entities.

What’s even more dangerous, I think, is that these multi-family buildings, built by phantom construction companies, are often built right next door to single family homes. What would happen if the multi-family didn’t sustain a violent earthquake? Would it collapse on the single family home? Good engineering would have the building collapse or implode on itself, but good engineering has evidently been absent in Peru.

A family member built her home in Los Cedros (Chorrillos) that is on swamp land. The 2007 earthquake caused little to no damage, but being that it is swamp land (I’m from FL so I should know) the ground is unstable and subsidence could be an issue in the event of a violent earthquake.

The solution isn’t “hundreds of engineers” covering a population of 9 million people…That’s impossible! – The answer is STRICT BUILDING CODES THAT ARE ENFORCED! Oh, and URBAN PLANNING.

Anyway, this is typical of the Peruvian government, they only deal with a problem once it comes rather than implement preventative measures.