Presidential Cabinet Chief Jorge Del Castillo said 10 million soles, or about $3.3 million, will be allocated to Peru’s army to finish the cleanup from the magnitude-8 earthquake that devastated Peru’s southern coast last August, the government news agency Andina reported Sunday.
“We have approved 10 million soles to finish the job of clearing the debris,” Andina quoted Del Castillo saying. “We are making a deal with the army for its equipment and other heavy machinery to finish it.”
He said 2 million soles would be allocated to Chincha, and the rest to Pisco and Ica.
The government has come under sharp criticism for mismanaging the relief and rebuilding programs following the temblor, the most destructive and deadly quake to hit the country since 1970. Del Castillo laid blame for the slow cleanup on Ica’s regional president, whom he reportedly said was handed 20 million soles to complete the job, but made the mistake of hiring dump trucks by the hour instead of by cargo weight.
He added that President Alan Garcia’s government has transferred an additional 22 million soles to begin rebuilding water and sewer infrastructure under the direction of Housing Minister Hernan Garrio Lecca.
