No doubt you will have seen pictures of the devastation in Ecuador caused by the earthquake last Saturday night. So far there are reports of over 400 people dead and 2,500 injured, with tens of thousands homeless and in need of shelter, food, clothing and water.

The epicentre was in the northern province of Las Esmeraldas, where most of the damage occurred, with some towns reduced almost completely to rubble. There have been over 200 aftershocks since then, spreading fear and panic among survivors. Click here for images

Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has put the cost of reconstruction in billions.

Paz y Esperanza’s office is in Guayaquil, 200 miles to the South and thankfully all families are safe.  As the emergency services and other groups struggle to meet the immediate needs, PYE are seeking to mobilise the church to respond where there is most need. Jose Vinces, PYE’s Director in Ecuador, wrote:

“The idea is to focus our efforts in Manabí and Esmeraldas (the most affected arras), building on experience in Peru with the 2007 Pisco earthquake. The first stage will involve giving emergency supplies of food, blankets and medicines, coordinating with others who are doing the same. We will also mobilise the churches so that they are focal points for the help. After that we will look to longer term programmes of disaster risk reduction as well as pastoral and psychological support.