Written by Staff Writer by Max Perry, CNN
The president of Peru has pledged his support for those affected by last week’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake, just days after he helped to drive hundreds of cows through the streets of Lima.
During a visit to a central school on Sunday, President Martin Vizcarra declared Peru’s earthquake a “national emergency” and promised that emergency funds would be made available for reconstruction.
Vizcarra helped herd 450 cows across Lima’s streets earlier this week in order to boost the domestic milk production. Image Credit: Julio Cuevas
The 7.5-magnitude quake struck in Peru’s Ayacucho region on November 5, killing at least 55 people and injuring hundreds of others.
“We’ll aid the victims not because it’s expected of us, but because it’s what we do. This one hits very close to home, and I am convinced that because of this action in Ayacucho, we will be able to go a long way towards preventing future tragedies,” Vizcarra said during Sunday’s visit.
Choked: Some of the 20,000 cubic meters of rescue rubble seized by the military
The president’s visit to the school comes just days after the military seized 20,000 cubic meters of rubble as part of a campaign to make makeshift makeshift centers with families are more easily accessible.
Despite the presence of 30,000 troops deployed around the country to help in the relief effort, there are still thousands of people camped out in squares and on the streets in Ayacucho.