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| Rescuers search Peru quake rubble | Rescuers search Peru quake rubble |
| (4 days later) | |
| Emergency workers are struggling to deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Peru that has left hundreds of people dead. | Emergency workers are struggling to deal with the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Peru that has left hundreds of people dead. |
| Damaged roads are hampering rescuers trying to reach Pisco, Ica, and other rural towns south-west of the capital. | Damaged roads are hampering rescuers trying to reach Pisco, Ica, and other rural towns south-west of the capital. |
| At least 437 people died and many more were injured, officials say. | At least 437 people died and many more were injured, officials say. |
| The UN's Margareta Wahlstrom said power and communications were down and that 80% of houses in some areas had been destroyed because of poor construction. | The UN's Margareta Wahlstrom said power and communications were down and that 80% of houses in some areas had been destroyed because of poor construction. |
| Ms Wahlstrom, UN deputy emergency relief co-ordinator, said that the death toll was likely to rise as the destruction of buildings in the area was "quite total". | Ms Wahlstrom, UN deputy emergency relief co-ordinator, said that the death toll was likely to rise as the destruction of buildings in the area was "quite total". |
| See map of the affected area | See map of the affected area |
| She said almost $1m (£500,000) had already been pledged by several UN agencies to help the quake victims. | She said almost $1m (£500,000) had already been pledged by several UN agencies to help the quake victims. |
| 'Everything destroyed' | 'Everything destroyed' |
| The 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday evening at 1841 (2341 GMT), just off the coast of Peru. | The 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday evening at 1841 (2341 GMT), just off the coast of Peru. |
| The province of Ica was the most damaged, but even in Lima, 150km (95 miles) from the epicentre, people stood trembling on the streets as buildings around them shook. | The province of Ica was the most damaged, but even in Lima, 150km (95 miles) from the epicentre, people stood trembling on the streets as buildings around them shook. |
| In the latest developments: | In the latest developments: |
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| Juan Mendoza, mayor of Pisco, told a radio station that "the dead are scattered by the dozens on the streets". | Juan Mendoza, mayor of Pisco, told a radio station that "the dead are scattered by the dozens on the streets". |
| He estimated that 70% of his coastal city was in ruins. | He estimated that 70% of his coastal city was in ruins. |
| "We don't have lights, water, communications. Most houses have fallen, churches, stores, hotels, everything is destroyed," he said. | "We don't have lights, water, communications. Most houses have fallen, churches, stores, hotels, everything is destroyed," he said. |
| Bitter cold | Bitter cold |
| President Alan Garcia quickly announced a state of emergency and sent cabinet ministers to the region. | President Alan Garcia quickly announced a state of emergency and sent cabinet ministers to the region. |
| Health workers abandoned an industrial strike to attend to casualties, and rescue teams were despatched from other parts of the country. | Health workers abandoned an industrial strike to attend to casualties, and rescue teams were despatched from other parts of the country. |
| I never experienced such a long and strong earthquake in Peru. It felt like it would never end Marcia, Lima Eyewitness accounts In pictures: Peru quake | I never experienced such a long and strong earthquake in Peru. It felt like it would never end Marcia, Lima Eyewitness accounts In pictures: Peru quake |
| However, the damage caused by the quake hampered the emergency effort. | However, the damage caused by the quake hampered the emergency effort. |
| Giorgio Ferrario, head of Peru's Red Cross, said it had taken workers seven-and-a-half hours to get to the province of Ica, rather than the usual two. | Giorgio Ferrario, head of Peru's Red Cross, said it had taken workers seven-and-a-half hours to get to the province of Ica, rather than the usual two. |
| He said he expected the official death toll to increase as daylight enabled workers to speed up their search for victims. | He said he expected the official death toll to increase as daylight enabled workers to speed up their search for victims. |
| In the city of Ica, people sifted through the rubble of the Senor de Luren church, which collapsed during mass. | In the city of Ica, people sifted through the rubble of the Senor de Luren church, which collapsed during mass. |
| In Imperial, a town south of Lima, "about 80% of the adobe houses have fallen," Mayor Richard Yactayo told Reuters news agency. | In Imperial, a town south of Lima, "about 80% of the adobe houses have fallen," Mayor Richard Yactayo told Reuters news agency. |
| Amid the bitter cold of winter, Imperial's survivors lit fires in their ruined homes to keep themselves warm. | Amid the bitter cold of winter, Imperial's survivors lit fires in their ruined homes to keep themselves warm. |
| Sense of relief | Sense of relief |
| Hospitals were reported to be overwhelmed by the number of casualties. The floors of the hospital in Chincha were described as covered with dead bodies. | Hospitals were reported to be overwhelmed by the number of casualties. The floors of the hospital in Chincha were described as covered with dead bodies. |
| How earthquakes happen Earthquake timeline | How earthquakes happen Earthquake timeline |
| Offers of assistance, whether in the form of rescue experts or relief supplies, came from Spain, France, Ecuador and Bolivia. | Offers of assistance, whether in the form of rescue experts or relief supplies, came from Spain, France, Ecuador and Bolivia. |
| President Garcia thanked God that the earthquake had not caused "a catastrophe with an immense number of victims". | President Garcia thanked God that the earthquake had not caused "a catastrophe with an immense number of victims". |
| In 1970, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake high in the Peruvian Andes triggered a landslide that buried the town of Yungay and killed 66,000 people. | In 1970, a 7.9-magnitude earthquake high in the Peruvian Andes triggered a landslide that buried the town of Yungay and killed 66,000 people. |
| In Lima's poorer suburbs and shanty towns, news of the damage is still coming in, reports the BBC's Dan Collyns. | In Lima's poorer suburbs and shanty towns, news of the damage is still coming in, reports the BBC's Dan Collyns. |
| However, he says the feeling in the city, where one third of the population lives, is that it may have narrowly avoided a major disaster. | However, he says the feeling in the city, where one third of the population lives, is that it may have narrowly avoided a major disaster. |
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Are you in the Peruvian capital or surrounding areas? Have you felt the effects of the earthquake? Send us your observations. | |