Another View of the Earthquake

Thought you wou ld be interestesd in hearing what Marcella has to say. Marcella is a Canadian SSND living in Canto but has been in Peru and Bolivia for many, many years.

The following letter is from Sister Marcella Reitzel in Peru to one of our sisters here in Canada:

I want to tell you about the earthquake - mostly simple facts since there is so, so much that could be told. Feast of the Assumption - 6:40 p.m. - August 15th; - worst in about 40 years, not in number of deaths, but in intensity; 7.9 (in Lima area 7.5); and in length, 2 minutes and a few seconds. Epicenter -almost 5 hours from Lima in bus; there also have been about 400 aftermaths, tremors and quakes. Numbers change every day but reports are around.

510 deaths and still digging out the buried -(at least 1 death in Villa el Salvador from fallen wall, and 28 in Callao, our sea-port just an hour from us); about 1000 wounded and receiving free medical help; about 16,670 buildings entirely collapsed and 80 to 90 thousand not safe anymore. Some of these are in our areas too, and many schools are closed because of danger; our library will definitely need the new roof now. We have been wanting to put a new one on ever since those 2 children fell through and one died; but because of the expense we just never were able to do it Now with continuing tremors, all are afraid to be there. Some churches and hospitals collapsed burying many and other such structures can no longer be used. Help is being sent from all countries but is difficult to organize and control. There is so much looting of the trucks; and, in the disaster area; when the trucks arrive, the people fight over the things - they are so very desperate for water, food, warm clothing (it's winter here) and just about everything. They have the armed forces helping now. Our seaport , Callao was hit with a gigantic wave that flooded much of the city and caused so much destruction and debris. They were warned that a Tsunami could be on the way and many evacuated their homes. In the epicenter, the fishing boats were washed up onto the streets. Thank God the Tsunami never arrived !!

Our experience in our people's chapel: we had, attached to a 3 meter high heavy wooden cross, another wooden cross over a meter in length with a plaster-cast image of Jesus. This fell to the terrazzo floor during the quake. The 2 crosses broke into a dozen pieces and the plaster image of Jesus doesn't even have a chip!!!! It is so entirely incredible that we feel it is a miracle. Only a framed picture fell and broke in our house. When we ran out to the street, the asphalt road was heaving so much, in wave-like sensation, that we thought it was going to open up under us. No one ever had such a frightening experience. We are all very fine but sure were shaken up.