PERU: Months after massive earthquake, survivors feel neglected | earthquake news

BAGUA, Peru – In this isolated jungle area about 1,200 kilometers north of the Peruvian capital, hundreds of people remain homeless after a massive earthquake last November triggered landslides and floods. Communities along the turbulent Otkobamba and Maranon rivers have lost everything: their homes, livelihoods, schools and health centres.

In elections a year ago, this area was part of the rural political heart of Pedro Castillo, the left-wing politician who took office last July. But today, many blame the Castillo government for their ongoing predicament.

Shortly after the earthquake, Castillo and a group of ministers landed by helicopter in the rural community of Santa Rosa, about 120 kilometers west of Bagua, promising displaced residents to be airlifted to temporary safe shelter. But when community members were brought down by a helicopter next to a football field outside the Bagua, nothing was created; Local residents told Al Jazeera that some tents and some water were not delivered until a day later.

“The president said we’ll be here for two months at the most,” Nelly, a mother of two, told Al Jazeera from inside her tent earlier this month. “We trusted him, and that’s why we’re here.”

Outside the tents, all other supplies for the displaced population – such as latrines, showers, water tanks and cash transfers for essential goods – were provided by international NGOs, such as Save the Children. Those affected by the earthquake say they are frustrated by the lack of government aid.

Families have been living in tents for months after the earthquake [Paula Dupraz-Dobias/Al Jazeera]

Felipe Perez, regional director of the National Civil Defense Institute, the government body responsible for disaster management, told Al Jazeera that the government’s response was “immediate and appropriate”.

“The assistance is permanent… There is an emergency response process, a rehabilitation process, and there has been a lot of delay during the identification of the land [where temporary shelter could be set up]Perez said.

Nelly, however, asserts that as a former country teacher, Castillo “should be better prepared to judge and deal with such situations”.

“[But] “This is where the country is now,” she said. “Just see what happened.”

high costs

Like many rural Peruvians, Nelly voted for Castillo in last year’s election, favoring him over his right-wing opponent, Keiko Fujimori, who has been mired in corruption allegations. But after months of living in sweltering hot tents, she says her community has been forgotten, with continued national media attention. Some have left the camp on their own and returned to their villages, although the threat of landslides remains.

Melissa Aliment, who is responsible for humanitarian aid for Save the Children in Peru, said the responsibility to get communities back on their feet now rests with the state, even as her organization operates “in this way.” [as] to help the government.”

“Vulnerable populations are becoming more vulnerable, because no one is helping them develop their capacity to respond to natural disasters, like having evacuation plans,” she told Al Jazeera. “Reducing structural weaknesses is very difficult, and it is a historic problem in the country.”

Since Castillo’s election last year, his tenure has been upended by chaos, as the president has survived two impeachment attempts and members of his cabinet have been embroiled in scandals. At the same time, the coronavirus devastated the country’s health care system and economy, and the Russo-Ukrainian war drove up fuel and fertilizer prices. Many families in Peru struggle to make ends meet.

“With a little hope, things will change,” says Nelly, a mother of two. [Paula Dupraz-Dobias/Al Jazeera]

With protests growing, the government earlier this month declared a state of emergency, allowing the military to oversee highways – a measure some have described as overreach, in a return to the 2009 violent suppression of protests by indigenous groups against resource extraction.

Castillo’s approval rating has now fallen to a record low of 19 percent, according to a recent Ipsos poll.

“Bad governance means that this government will not be able to respond well to the needs,” Eduardo Dargent, professor of politics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, told Al Jazeera.

Dargent said that many of Castillo’s original supporters who had long criticized neoliberal administrations, including some affected by the earthquake and its aftermath, now realize that previous governments operated more efficiently than the current system.

Meanwhile, while Nelly and her family continue to await temporary resettlement, she holds out hope that their situation will improve: “I will be able to find relief in the future. With a little hope, things will change, and this country will become a better one.”

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos