Powerful earthquake jolts Peru
7.5-magnitude temblor reportedly causes power outages, shakes Lima

BREAKING NEWS
MSNBC News Services
Updated: less than 1 minute ago
LIMA, Peru - A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook the central coast of Peru Wednesday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The earthquake struck about 90 miles southeast of the capital of Lima, according to the Web site of the USGS.

An Associated Press photographer reported the quake caused panic and chaos in the streets and at least some houses had collapsed in the center of the city.


Office buildings in Lima shook in at least two different bouts that lasted around 20 seconds each, and workers ran out into the streets in fear, witnesses said.

The USGS notes earthquakes measuring more than 7 often result in fatalities.

My prayers are going out to those people.

Large quake jolts Peru; tsunami warning issued
7.5-magnitude temblor shakes Lima, reportedly causes power outages, fires

BREAKING NEWS
NBC News and news services
Updated: 15 minutes ago
LIMA, Peru - A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook the central coast of Peru Wednesday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a tsunami warning for Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia.

The earthquake struck about 90 miles southeast of the capital of Lima at 6:40:58 p.m., according to the Web site of the USGS.

Bruce Presgrave, a seismologist with USGS, told NBC News that there was a 5.7 aftershock approximately 22 minutes after the quake.

Peruvian civil defense officials said there were no immediate reports of fatalities, but radio stations said there was a fire in one district of Lima. Several poorly constructed homes in Pisco, a town near the epicenter of the quake, were knocked down, officials added.

Ambulance sirens blared in the darkened capital, 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.

Callers to Radio Programas, Peru's main news station, said parts of several cities in southern Peru had been hit with blackouts.

It was just reported (6 pm EST news) that so far there are 17 Dead, 70 injured, widespread damage, power losses,etc.

Tsunami warnings for the coast continue throughout the night.


I pray for strength for all to get through this as best they can..

please pray for that tsunami not to happen
my family lives in a coastal area of Ecuador.

thoughts are being giving right now.

TLW - I hope your family is out of harms way. Keep us posted on how they are doing!