Northern Peru hit by powerful 8.0 earthquake
The quake was felt around the country and as far off as Colombia and Ecuador
Lima — Peruvian authorities were scrambling to assess the damage after an earthquake with a magnitude as high as 8.0 rocked the Peruvian Amazon region early on Sunday, leaving at least one person dead. Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra left Lima on Sunday to survey the damage following the quake that struck the Loreto region of northern Peru. “This is a quake of great magnitude, the biggest in 12 years, since 2007,” Vizcarra told reporters. At least one person in the Cajamarca region was killed after a boulder struck his home, emergency officials said. Peru’s National Emergency Centre said there were at least 11 people injured and more than 50 homes destroyed. Several schools, churches, hospitals and clinics also reported damages.
The quake, rated as one of “intermediate depth” at around 110km, was felt around the country, and as far off as Colombia and Ecuador. Intermediate depth quakes typically cause less surface damage than shallower tremors. Peru sits on the Pacifi...
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