"The United Nations is in close contact with the government of Peru and stands ready to support relief efforts with measures including the release of emergency funds and the deployment of a team of disaster assessment and coordination experts," said a spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Hours later as the toll from the disaster shot above 500, the world body said its different agencies had set aside one million dollars, including 100,000 dollars in a special fund to deal with the most pressing problems.

"This is a very well organized search and rescue operation," said UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Margareta Wahlstrom.

"It is quite likely that the death toll will continue to go up," she added.

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) said a Peruvian Red Cross team had reported "widespread devastation" in the southern region worst hit by the quake.

Two Red Cross planes carrying tents, plastic covers, blankets and water canisters were to leave Panama City for Lima on Thursday.

Colombia sent 50 tonnes of relief supplies along with a pledge from President Alvaro Uribe to visit Peru in the coming days to offer his personal assistance.

Neighboring Bolivia also sent 12 tonnes of emergency food supplies and medicine on an air force plane Thursday. The 8.0 magnitude quake late on Wednesday was felt in the Bolivian capital La Paz.

Fifteen Spanish rescue experts were also leaving Madrid for Lima to help and the Brazilian, French, Italian, Mexican, Spanish and US governments promised help.

The IFRC added that the Peruvian Red Cross had sent an emergency team to the quake zone to assess relief needs. The team had been to Pisco and was due soon in the city of Ica, which was said to have been worst hit by the quake.

"The first impression of the team was of widespread devastation especially among the houses. The trip by road from Lima to Pisco took seven hours, instead of the usual two," said Giorgio Ferrario, the IFRC representative in Lima.

The IFRC said it had also sent 205,000 dollars (153,000 euros) from an emergency fund to help the Peruvian Red Cross relief operation.

Italy's Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said his government would give an initial 200,000 euros to the Red Cross relief effort.

A Spanish organization, Firemen Without Borders (BUSF), said 15 rescuers and four sniffer dogs would leave for Lima on Thursday.

Spain said its embassy in Peru had supplied authorities in Ica with three water purification systems which can produce 72,000 liters (18,720 gallons) of clean water daily, enough to meet the needs of 3,000 people.

President George W. Bush offered US help.

"The president and Mrs Bush offer their condolences to the people of Peru," said national security spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "The United States stands ready to assist Peru."

David Snider, press director at USAID -- the United States Agency for International Development -- said: "Two USAID disaster response personnel were in Peru last night and one more should be on his way later today from our regional disaster assistance office in Costa Rica."

The CARE humanitarian group in the United States had sent out an assessment team, a spokesman said.

The European Commission said its executive humanitarian aid department is sending an expert to Peru and other staff have been put on stand by.

The commission said it "deeply deplores the loss of life, injuries and displacements."

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France offered humanitarian aid in a message to Peru's President Alan Garcia.

"France is ready, if you judge it necessary, to answer any request for humanitarian aid that you make," Sarkozy was quoted as saying in the message released by his office.

Pope Benedict XVI called on Roman Catholic organizations to help the victims of the quake.

The pope sent "his sincerest condolences to the families of the dead" and said he felt "spiritually close to the wounded and homeless," the Vatican said in a statement.

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