AP
Aug. 15: A resident inspects damages after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Lima, Peru.
Posted on 08/16/2007 1:34:14 AM PDT by bd476
LIMA, Peru — A powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake shook Peru's coast near the capital, toppling buildings, setting off landslides and killing at least 115 people and injuring over a thousand others, Deputy Health Minister Jose Calderon said Thursday.
Speaking on television and radio, Calderon called the situation "dramatic" in Ica, a city of 650,000 people 165 miles southeast of the capital.
He encouraged Peruvians to donate blood for the injured and said a convoy of doctors and nurses was headed to the Ica area. News reports said dozens of people were crowding hospitals in the city seeking help even though the hospitals had suffered cracks and other structural damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake hit at 6:40 p.m. (7:40 p.m. EDT) about 90 miles southeast of Lima at a depth of about 25 miles. Four strong aftershocks ranging from magnitudes of 5.4 to 5.9 were felt afterward.
Several hours later, President Alan Garcia said in a nationwide broadcast that it apparently had not caused a catastrophe.
"Thank you God Almighty, these terrible quakes did not cause a high death toll like in other years," he said.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for the coasts of Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama. A tsunami watch was issued for the rest of Central America and Mexico and an advisory for Hawaii.
The center canceled all the alerts after about two hours, but it said the quake had caused an estimated 10-inch tsunami near the epicenter.
"It wasn't big enough to be destructive," said Stuart Weinstein, the center's assistant director.
An Associated Press photographer said that some homes had collapsed in the center of Lima and that many...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
AP
Aug. 15: A resident inspects damages after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Lima, Peru.
Earthquake Ping List. If you would like to have your name removed from this list, please FReepmail me.
Here's an updated news story, Cindy.
Thanks bd476 and I’ll add a few resource links here, too.
#
Travel.State.Gov - Consular Information Sheet: “PERU”
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_998.html
Embassy of the United States, Limas, Peru
http://lima.usembassy.gov/
Aug. 15: Firefighters battle a blaze that erupted after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Lima, Peru.
Aug. 15: A family is seen camping in a park to spend the night after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Lima, Peru.
Aug. 15: People walk past broken glasses in downtown Lima after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Lima, Peru.
Aug. 15: A man walks by a wall that collapsed after a powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Lima, Peru.
Thanks for the State Dept. and Embassy links, Cindy!
You’re welcome bd476.
And bringing this link posted by echomike23 over to this thread:
Sky News Breaking News
Peru Earthquake: Death Toll Rises To 330
Updated: 09:30, Thursday August 16, 2007
Mass Panic After Earthquake Hits Peru
Updated: 09:38, Thursday August 16, 2007
A powerful earthquake in Peru has killed more than 330 people, according to the nation's civil defence agency. People slept outside after the quake
The quake measured 7.9 on the Richter scale and aftershocks with a magnitude of 7.5 have also been felt.
Peru's Health Minister Carlos Vallejos said more than 1,000 people were injured.
Authorities said the quake generated a tsunami but it was not destructive.
Houses collapsed in the centre of Lima and power has been cut to some regions.
Local firefighters said workers were evacuated from office buildings and remained outside in open areas, fearing more tremors.
People slept outside after the quake
The quake hit about 90 miles south east of Lima near the town of Chincha Alta, which has a population of more than 100,000.
A tsuanmi warning was issued for Peru, Chile, Equador and Colombia by the Pacific Tsunami Warning centre in Hawaii but was later cancelled.
The centre said the quake caused an estimated 10-inch tsunami near the epicentre but it was not big enough to be destructive.
Peru's President Alan Garcia said the earthquake had not caused a catastrophe.
"Thank you, God Almighty, these terrible quakes did not cause a high death toll like in other years," he said in an address on national TV.
The president said public schools will be closed today because the buildings may be unsafe.
Police reported that large boulders came loose from hills and were blocking the country's Central Highway east of the capital.
Mass Panic After Earthquake Hits Peru
Breaking news Peru Earthquake: Death Toll Rises To 330
Rescue and recovery attempts must be in progress.
Thank you for the update bd476.
Thank you for the ping bd476, I appreciate it. I can only imagine the death toll going much higher, and even worse photos after daybreak... How sad...
Can we assume American Search and Rescue teams will go there? The density of those cities is incredible and they do not have CA construction codes, so I imagine the death toll will rise in the coming days. God help them.
Yes, they are right now. Meanwhile I'm about to post about yet another quake, 6.7 in the Solomon Islands. No tsunami warnings, or watches and none expected.
Thank you bd476.
http://www.livinginperu.com/news/
http://www.livinginperu.com/news-4503-breaking-news-damage-review-peru-after-earthquake
BREAKING NEWS! | 16 August, 2007 [ 00:09 ]
Damage Review - Peru After the Earthquake
(LIP-ir)
I think it’s a little too early, IMHO, for the President of Peru to be making statements about the death toll being low, and saying this is not a catastrophe. All accounts I have heard thus far seem to contradict that statement. It’s not even daylight, yet, and rescue efforts have undoubtedly just begun. I understand him wanting to reassure Peruvian citizens, but it is a little early to put such spin on it. Thank God that _more_ were not lost, for sure that is correct!
Just cross-posting this information from the “live” thread from echomike23 who is monitoring reports on Spanish-language radio out of Peru...
QUOTE:
the cities of ICA, CHINCHA and PISCO are the most affected. RPP reports some pillaging and looting in the affected cities.
no power, no phone or water services. a church has collapsed.
earthquake was felt in ecuador. at 3:42am pst
the most common complaint from callers into the radio station is about displaced children who are suffering from the cold. remember its winter there and peru was already dealing with a terrible cold spell. RPP is stressing that help is on its way. caller in pisco is calling from the PLAZA DE ARMAS in pisco, he said that 80% of the city is preety much gone. complaints of NO rescue efforts so far from civil or military. citizens are taking it upon themselves to perform rescue operations. they are waiting for the mayor who hasnt made himself public. people who are trapped in buildings are using their cell fones to call for help. some people are in tears talking on the radio.
262 posted on 08/16/2007 3:56:14 AM CDT by echomike23
Thanks Liberty Rocks and echomike23!
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