Lima: A strong magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck the coast of southern Peru on Sunday morning, killing one person, injuring scores and causing homes and roads to collapse.
The quake hit offshore at 4:18 a.m. local time (0918 GMT) at a depth of around 36 km (22.4 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean 40 km from the town of Acari.
Arequipa Governor Yamila Osorio said on Twitter that a 55-year-old man died in the town of Yauca after being crushed by rocks. Jorge Chavez, chief of Peru's Civil Defense Institute, told local radio station RPP that 65 people were injured.
President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski traveled to the towns of Chala and Acari, two of the areas most affected by the quake, to assess the damages and coordinate the response. He said some 100 houses had collapsed.
Earthquakes are common in Peru, but many homes are built with precarious materials that cannot withstand the tremors.
Prime Minister Mercedes Araoz said at a news conference in Lima that the government would declare a state of emergency in the affected zones to allow for faster reconstruction of roads and homes. Devastating floods last year resulted in $8 billion in rebuilding costs.
Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer, although many mines in the south are located far inland from the quake's epicenter. A Southern Copper Corp representative said there were no reports of damage at its Cuajone and Toquepala mines.
The quake was also felt in northern Chile, Peru's southern neighbor, but authorities said there was no tsunami risk.
The quake hit offshore at 4:18 a.m. local time (0918 GMT) at a depth of around 36 km (22.4 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean 40 km from the town of Acari.
Arequipa Governor Yamila Osorio said on Twitter that a 55-year-old man died in the town of Yauca after being crushed by rocks. Jorge Chavez, chief of Peru's Civil Defense Institute, told local radio station RPP that 65 people were injured.
President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski traveled to the towns of Chala and Acari, two of the areas most affected by the quake, to assess the damages and coordinate the response. He said some 100 houses had collapsed.
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Earthquakes are common in Peru, but many homes are built with precarious materials that cannot withstand the tremors.
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Prime Minister Mercedes Araoz said at a news conference in Lima that the government would declare a state of emergency in the affected zones to allow for faster reconstruction of roads and homes. Devastating floods last year resulted in $8 billion in rebuilding costs.
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Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer, although many mines in the south are located far inland from the quake's epicenter. A Southern Copper Corp representative said there were no reports of damage at its Cuajone and Toquepala mines.
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The quake was also felt in northern Chile, Peru's southern neighbor, but authorities said there was no tsunami risk.
© Thomson Reuters 2018
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