Earthquake 6.3 Richter shakes south-central Peru, 70 injured

According to the US Seismological Service (USGS), the earthquake that struck Peru shortly after midnight was centered on the Peruvian south-central coast, 15 kilometers southeast of the city of Ica at a depth of 39.2 kilometers. About 70 people suffered injuries. The wounded, who have been treated in hospitals or health centers, have reported varying degrees of injuries ranging from fractures to being struck by objects falling inside the houses as a result of the strong earthquake. According to ElComercio.pe (in Spanish) the quake caused power outages and the collapse of the phone lines. In Ica, thousands of people slept on the street for fear of aftershocks. Some stores reported looting. Ica is located about 280 kilometres south of Lima. The city was hit in August 2007 by a powerful earthquake of magnitude 8 in the Richter scale that killed more than 500 and thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed.