News / World
Death Toll Reaches 337 in Peru Earthquake
The earthquakes that struck Peru in the early evening on Wednesday has left at least 337 dead and an additional 827 injured, almost all coming from the Ica region.
While one person from the Brazilian capital of Lima was killed the remaining dead were from Ica, a region 165 miles south-southeast of Lima with a population over 200,000.
Initial reports received shortly after the temblor noted three separate earthquakes, a 7.7 and a 7.5 off the coast and a 7.5 on land but the quake that hit land has now been noted as a magnitude-7.9.
The powerful quake knocked over buildings, churches and homes and caused wide-scale power outages, communication breakdowns and water shortages. Rescue workers have been searching collapsed structures looking for survivors but expect the death toll to rise.
