Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Monday accepted the advice of the Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee and approved a 1.5 million-HK dollar relief project for earthquake victims in Peru.

The World Vision Hong Kong, a charity organization, will undertake the grant worth about US$192,000 from the Disaster Relief Fund for relief efforts to earthquake victims in Peru.

Announcing the grant on Monday, a HKSAR government spokesman said the committee hoped the grant to World Vision Hong Kong would help provide relief to earthquake victims in Peru.

"To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the relief agency has been asked to submit evaluation report and audited account on the use of the grant after the relief project has been completed," the spokesman said.

The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee is responsible for advising the HKSAR government on the policy and practices regarding the disbursement of funding for disaster relief from the Disaster Relief Fund, which was established in December 1993, for emergency disaster relief in places outside Hong Kong, as well as advising on specific amounts to specific recipients, and monitoring the use of grants.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the Peruvian Pacific Coast on Aug. 15, devastating hospitals, schools, churches and government buildings in the city of Pisco, and seriously affecting the capital Lima and other cities. Hundreds died and thousands of families in the country are left homeless or without food.

(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2007)