Strong earthquake shakes Peru
Pastor Dale Morgan
Strong earthquake shakes Peru*
2010-01-04
LIMA, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter
scale on Sunday rocked many parts of Peru's northern coast and central
region, causing alarm in cities likes Chiclayo, Trujillo, Chimbote and
Lima, the Peruvian Geophysics Institute (IGP) said.
The IGP added that there were no immediate reports of casualties or
damage.
According to the IGP, the earthquake occurred at 3:39 p.m. local
time (2038 GMT). Its epicenter was located some 65 km from Huaraz city
in the department of Ancash and 400 km northwest of Lima, and it had a
depth of 104 km.
However, the earthquake was also felt in cities far from the
epicenter, such as Chosica and Huacho in Lima department, as well as in
the departments of La Libertad and Lambayeque in the northwest of the
country.
The earthquake was felt with an intensity of four degrees at
Mercalli scale in the cities of Lima and Huaraz, as well as in the
localities of Chosca, Canete, Chimbote, the IGP said.
In August 2007, a strong earthquake of magnitude 8.1 shook the
provinces of Chincha, Pisco and Ica, all in Ica department, killing 596
people and destroying 70,000 houses.