by Julie Rammer, WCCN Intern

A series of earthquakes and tremors have shaken the southern Pacific zone of Nicaragua since the afternoon of June 29, 2000. The first quake, 5.4 on the Richter Scale, hit hardest around the area of the Laguna de Apoyo (Crater Lake), southwest of Managua. The earthquakes have resulted in seven deaths, six of them children, and 42 injuries. In addition, upwards of 3000 families have been affected, with many still living in shelters or on the streets, too frightened by the recurring shakings to return to what is left of their homes.

Damage was especially heavy in the historic city of Masaya. Just in Masaya itself and the neighboring towns of Niquinohomo and Catarina, more than 600 houses have been completely destroyed, while nearly 1000 are seriously damaged. This means that between 70-80% of the houses in central Masaya are damaged to a greater or lesser degree.

The central government's response has been slow, with President Alemán claiming that he has little emergency money available. Now, food is running out, plastic sheeting for emergency shelter is almost impossible to come by, and some local entrepreneurs are raising prices to take advantages of the crisis.

In addition, Masaya, renowned as Nicaragua's primary center of arts and crafts, has few citizens with the necessary resources to rebuild fallen houses. "Here there is nothing left. The houses fell and there is no money to rebuild them. We have to make a living somewhere else, while we wait for the danger to pass. After that we can return to our Masaya," said Francisco Perez, owner of a small eatery in Masaya.

Noting that about the only sign of government concern were the engineers busily reconstructing the road from Masaya to the Laguna de Apoyo where Alemán and other government members have private homes, Eliseo Núñez (Dignity and Change Party) called on the National Assembly to make US$5 million available as low-interest loans.

Because the Masayans' crafts provide a major tourist attraction and a source of national revenue, the Nicaraguan Cultural Institute and the Institute of Tourism are holding special events to help rebuild their destroyed kilns.

Another encouraging aspect is the response of the Network of Women Against Violence and many other non-governmental organizations in Nicaragua. WCCN is supporting the Network in its response. The Network has provided some basic necessities such as plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, which currently is much safer in which to live than adobe homes. The Network is also responding to requests for emotional recovery work.

To support relief efforts in Nicaragua, please send donations to WCCN, P.O. Box 1534, Madison, WI 53701. Please write "earthquake" in the memo field of your check.