Strong earthquake strikes central Peru, injuring more than 70

[News_Editor]

Strong earthquake strikes central Peru, injuring more than 70

2012-01-30 16:52:44 GMT+7 (ICT)

ICA, PERU (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck near the Peruvian city of Ica on early Monday morning, causing damage and injuring more than 70 people, officials said. Thousands of people were forced to spend the night on the street.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake at 12:11 a.m. local time (0511 GMT) was centered about 47 kilometers (29 miles) southwest of Ica, the capital of the region which carries the same name. It struck about 48 kilometers (29.8 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP).

The earthquake, which was felt across central Peru and struck as most people were sleeping, caused damage to an unknown number of houses and other buildings. Some telephone lines collapsed and power outages were reported in Ica and the surrounding area, local media reported.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), which measured the strength of the earthquake at 6.3 on the regional moment magnitude scale, estimated that approximately 345,000 people may have felt strong shaking. Nearly one million others may have felt light to moderate shaking.

In the hours after the earthquake, approximately 70 people were treated at hospitals and health centers for various injuries, city officials said, although none of them were believed to be seriously injured. Most of the injuries were described as cuts and bruises, although several people suffered broken bones.

In Ica, a city with a population of about 220,000, many thousands of people spend the night on the street in fear of aftershocks.

Peru is on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent and large earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions also occur frequently in the region.

In October 2011, at least 83 people were injured and more than 130 houses were destroyed when a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck about 51 kilometers (32 miles) south-southwest of Ica. It came just two months after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Peru, injuring several people.

And in August 2007, at least 514 people were killed and more than 1,000 others were injured when a massive 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck the central coast of Peru, generating a small tsunami which flooded some areas. Large parts of Ica were devastated by the earthquake.

Peru's most catastrophic earthquake on record happened in May 1970 when a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake struck about 36 kilometers (22 miles) off the coast of northwestern Peru, killing at least 66,794 people. More than 50,000 others were injured.

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