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WORLD / America
Strong quake kills at least 17 in Peru
(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-08-16 10:35
LIMA, Peru -- A powerful earthquake shook Peru's coast near the capital
on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people as it toppled buildings and
caused hundreds to flee office buildings in Lima.
Map of Peru locating Lima?where a?7.9 magnitude?earthquake kills at least
17 on Wednesday. [File]
A tsunami warning was issued for South America's Pacific coast.
The highly respected Cable new station Canal N reported that a church in
the city of Ica south of Lima collapsed, killing 17 people and injuring
70.
The US Geological Survey said the 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit about 90
miles southeast of Lima at a depth of about 25 miles.
The quake toppled houses and caused panic in the capital. A short and
weaker aftershock followed.
Peruvian emergency teams ordered residents to evacuate low-lying areas in
the port city of Callao, but emergency officials said no deaths were
reported.
"At this time, there is no big or serious damage. Some houses have been
knocked over, yes, as have some ceilings, but there are no direct
victims," Luis Palomino, head of Peru's civil defense agency.
Radio stations said there was a fire in one district of Lima and that
several poorly constructed homes were knocked down in Pisco, a town near
the epicenter of the quake.
"I was playing soccer when the quake hit and I had to run back to my
office because I am the chief of security. Now I am going to check on my
family," said Juan Francisco Acevedo, 29, who works for an Internet
company in Lima.
Ambulance sirens blared in the darkened capital where windows of
storefronts shattered and the health ministry declared a disaster.
"People here hugging and crying in fear on the streets," said Cristyane
Marusiak, a 31-year-old resident.
The US Geological Survey at first said there were two earthquakes within
minutes of each other but later amended its reports to show that one
quake struck about 90 miles (145 km) southeast of Lima at a depth of
around 25 miles (40 km).
It was followed by nine aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 6 to the
upper 4s, said Dale Grant, a geophysicist at the USGS's National
Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado.
The USGS says earthquakes measuring more than 7 magnitude often result in
fatalities.
In neighboring Chile, officials said they saw no risk of a tsunami on its
Pacific coastline.
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