Peru Earthquake 2011: 6.9 Magnitude Quake

LIMA, Peru — A magnitude-6.9 earthquake centered off Peru's central coast sent people running panicked into the streets Friday in cities badly damaged by a killer quake four years earlier. There were no reports of damage though hospital directors reported at least 20 injuries.

People who had lost loved ones and homes in the earlier quake were badly shaken and some broke into tears.

"It felt like the one in 2007 because it was very strong," Felix Sihuas told RPP radio. He said he was buried under rubble for six hours in the Aug. 15, 2007, quake, which killed 596 people and largely destroyed the town of Pisco.

Friday's quake was considerably less violent in Lima, a city of 8.5 million people. The capital shook for about 30 seconds in a series of moderate, swaying movements.

Several aftershocks followed with magnitudes up to 5.5, said the U.S. Geological Survey.

It said Friday's quake was centered 31 miles (51 kilometers) south-southwest of Ica, a provincial capital of about 200,000 people which suffered widespread damage in the 2007 quake. It was at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 kilometers).

The directors of two hospitals in Ica told RPP that 20 people were treated for non life-threatening injuries including two for broken bones.

Peru's government-run Institute of Geophysics put the quake's magnitude at 6.7 and put its depth at 19 miles (30 kilometers). The USGS said the killer 2007 quake was centered 24 miles (39 kilometers) deep.

A seismologist at the institute, Hernan Tavera, told RPP the 2007 quake released 33 times more energy than Friday's temblor but this time " the radius of action was far wider."

"There was panic, a lot of panic," said Ruben Vargas, a police official in Ica, which is flanked by asparagus fields and vineyards that produce wine and the liquor pisco.

Vargas said that many people were still in the streets nearly a half hour after the 1:54 p.m. (18:54 GMT) quake. "Little by little people are calming down but they're still outside their homes," he added.

In Pisco, police officer Julio Lopez said people were spooked though the quake wasn't nearly as bad as the 2007 temblor.

"It wasn't like the last time. It was shorter," said Jorge Luis Yupanqui, 30, from Pisco. "Some people started to cry."

He said there was a big traffic jam in Pisco because he, like many others, went home to make sure his family and home were safe.

About 40,000 homes were destroyed in the 2007 quake and the previous government of President Alan Garcia was widely criticized for the slow pace of reconstruction.

___

Associated Press writers Martin Villena and Carla Salazar contributed to this report.

Comments

[publiusmax]

07:11 PM on 10/29/2011

And here is the post that I was attempting to correct. The reference to Bar Kochba's second century rebellion has been omitted. Also, Dacia, which defeated the Romans in a first century BC battle wasn't conquered by the Romans until the early second century. Never the less, it's pretty clear that the fact that the Romans considered this to be a relatively peaceful period indicates that wars and rumors of wars were common place occurances in the early Christian period and predicting wars and rumors of wars in the future was pretty much like predicting that the future would also include some rain.;
There will be wars and rumors of wars, just like always. A bit of first century history for you Bible boys. First century disasters (and this is just in the Mediterranean area, which happened to be the hermit who wrote revelations "world". In no particular order and just off the top of my head, Vesuvius erupts, totally destroying two cities; Rome burns; Rome at war with the Germans on several occasions, including the disastrous defeat(for the Romans at least) at Teutoburger Wald; Rome at war with the Britons for years; Rome ruthlessly crushes Jewish rebellion, destroying Jerusalem in the Process; Rome at war with Parthia; Rome at war with Dacia; Romans at war with other Romans, including the civil war fest known as the year of the seven Emperors. There's nothing to see here Bible bangers, please run along now.

[dkandycrown]

12:48 PM on 10/29/2011

There seems to be a lot of earthquakes lately. Has any scientist actually investigated what all the bombings that are being done in countries might have an effect on our earth? It would be interesting to know how many of these are being caused by humans. It's just a thought.

[ThinkCreeps]

03:26 PM on 10/29/2011

The energies involved in just the seismic waves radiated away by big earthquakes are of the order of billions of tons of TNT. The answer is zero.

[abandofoutsiders]

11:23 AM on 10/29/2011

Ok first of all, my hopes are prayers are with all the families over there, specially to the ones in Ica. To all the people that thing this is part of the signs of the "end of our days." stop, this is not a sign of anything. I am Peruvian, we live in a fault line and this is something that we have come to expect (or at least we should expect). In fact I thank god this was not as bad as 2007. I travel to Pisco a few weeks after the 2007's earthquake to help in the reconstruction and the city was literally destroyed, houses, schools, churches were literally transformed in gravel. It was overwhelming. As I read this I can literally know what the population of Pisco might have felt.
Finally ( for the few people that might care) if the epicenter of an earthquake is the city of Lima I fear that the number of deaths would be well over the thousands, even tho the city is in permanent danger, a big part of the constructions are not up to code or any hold up to any type of safety standards.

[manmi1]

09:45 AM on 10/29/2011

The whole world is shaking apart.

[laurelphot]

09:14 AM on 10/29/2011

I fell into the RING of FIRE, The buildings came down, as did the churches spire.

[Ken Wyn]

08:08 PM on 10/30/2011

I realize you're referring to Johnny Cash's song when you wrote "I fell into the RING of FIRE." However, I never agreed with this term "Ring of Fire" made by seismologists, geologists and other scientists and geographers. The entire world is a ring of fire: deadly earthquakes are not just a Pacific phenomenon as proved by the recent deadly earthquake in Turkey. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean receive just as many earthquakes. The mid-Atlantic Azores islands, as well as Iceland, receive serious and deadly earthquakes even more frequently than many a Pacific island or archipelago. And the deadly 8.7 magnitude Lisbon earthquake of 1755 completely destroyed the Portuguese capital, compounded with a tsunami that killed over 60,000 people. To apply this term to just the Pacific is not only misleading but dangerous: lack of disaster plans and preparedness training, and prevention of serious damage (i.e. stiffer building codes, new buildings applied with only "earthquake-proof" architecture, emergency triage centers, physical and mental health services, etc.) are seriously absent in non-Pacific regions of the world in comparison to those in the "Ring of Fire." A false sense of security thus ensues in areas of the world which are just as prone to earthquakes as those in the Pacific regions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ring_of_Fire
http://www.phenomena.org.uk/lisbon.htm

[Isom Dart]

09:14 AM on 10/29/2011

Another Earthquake....the third one this week. Floods, mud, and quakes. Food prices soaring, OWS is in process, wars, rumors of wars, U.S. involvement in every fight in the world, 10 soldiers killed today in Afganistan, a new crown prince in Saudi. All of this adds up to more social depression and hardship. How long will America continue spending our tax dollars on war, we need help in New Orleans, people are still homeless from the storm, we do not need war, we need help.

[manmi1]

09:44 AM on 10/29/2011

Isn't it amazing how we can rebuild another country, but New Orleans still hasn't recovered? The CONS continue to act like these people should just take matters into their own hands.... however when it comes to the middle east... the sky is the limit. But, of course, the CONS support their contractors who wouldn't be allowed to make disgusting profits here, but can get away with it over there.

[D Rodrigues]

08:46 AM on 10/29/2011

The only thing we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. If you don't believe in God, that's your business. If you do believe, exercise your faith quietly. That way no on tramples on eachother. I hate when the posting turns ugly and ruins reasonable and mindful posting.

With that said, I have felt two small quakes here in California over the past week. It is the strangest sensation because there is nothing you can do and the ground, which for the great majority of life has been stationary, is now moving underneath you. When it dawns on you, it triggers all of your senses. You become completely aware of everything around you, including your own mortality. There is nowhere to run, nothing you can do to stop it and all you can do is wait until IT stops shaking. One just wonders how long the event will last and if the shaking will become more violent. It's definitely hard on the nerves, causing an ordinary day to become one that you don't ever forget.

So, prepare for an event with extra food, water and first aid kits. Do what you can to prepare before an event. If an event occurs and inconveniences your life, you will be sorry you did not prepare. But, chances are, those who did will help you. That's the nature of people. People tend to band together in times of disaster. Let's stop the division and start making provision.

[publiusmax]

07:57 AM on 10/29/2011

I'd like to correct a post that I made in case it ever actually get's posted. The second Jewish revolt that I mentioned took place in the second century, not the first.

[laurelphot]

09:16 AM on 10/29/2011

The Jews are still revolting.

[Ken Wyn]

10:16 PM on 10/30/2011

??? Many other groups are revolting: the riots all across Britain this past August reflects these other groups of people who are far more unhappy and revolting than Jews. The protests taking place on Wall Street right now are another example of non-Jews revolting. So I find your blanket statement of Jews casuistry.

[publiusmax]

07:47 AM on 10/29/2011

By the way, the period that I just mentioned is from a time popular called the Pax Romana (Roman peace) if the considered these years relatively peaceful, you can imagine what the other years must have been like. By the way, today's wars that you're always pointing toolook like a bonfire beside a forest fire compared the war that was fought in the middle of the last century.

[Adam Dray]

06:35 AM on 10/29/2011

....its okay....the people or 'Lemmings' of the world as I like to refer to them will sit in their happy homes, day after day not realizing that the 'stop clock has been started'. Its okay that this year ALONE has been one of the worst in recorded history for natural disasters BUT...it's okay, you'll sit there, shrug it off like no big deal, even critisize, flinging words like 'conspiracy' and such just to dilute yourselves a little more. But you know what....when a really big 'event' occurs....what it will be I dunno, and it wont have ANYTHING to do with god, or religion or nothing.....Im gonna sit here, and think ......I told you so................and realize.....the human population...deserves it......So stay ignorant. Play with your fancy phones, and worry about your nifty toys and gadgets and petty squabling over petty things like who makes more money or if your 'Dancing with the stars' is on tv....keep cruising to your final destination...JUST REMEMBER, when it happens, dont cry, dont be sad, dont pretend to not of known. SIT THERE, and WALLOW in the fact you were too ignorant, too nieve, and too diluted to have done ANYTHING ABOUT IT, when you could have...........

[publiusmax]

07:55 AM on 10/29/2011

It doesn't sound like your doing any more about it than the poor diluted(???) lemmings are Adam, so what's your beef?

[Adam Dray]

03:22 PM on 10/29/2011

Actually I have done alot more on the subject than most. Unfortionatly however, one person cannot change the course of a whole planet, so Im kinda stuck trying to influence awareness. LOOK around you. Im not saying ANYTHING 'bliblical' is gonna happen, most that 'jargin' is there to keep people in a 'morale' line. Im talking REALITY. Look up, look around you, you odnt feel it? The seasons are getting more and more 'off' their normal track, froom early, harsher winters to super dry and hot summers. But instead the population is more concerned with, money, wars, and politics. Sadly, unless people become aware they aren't gonna do anything. SADLY the ONLY way to get people to .....DO SOMETHING about ANYTHING, is radical action. I however do not believe in performing radical actions simply to convince others of my 'opinion' SO............until people wise up EARLY, it isnt gonna matter anyways..........

[laameduck1]

10:54 AM on 10/29/2011

Ok everyone, for Adam's sake, let's here it .... 1 2 3.... WHOA IS ME.....OH WHOA IS ME.
If it is going to happen the "big event" you speak of no one can stop it. Life is going to go on. The only preparation anyone can make is to get right with God and then just go on with your life with that in mind.

[Adam Dray]

03:19 PM on 10/29/2011

REALLY, did you HAVE to say 'god'? Take your biblical BULL and toss it in the garbage where it belongs. Secondly if YOU READ my post you'd realize Im not a bible thumper who like yourself just PROVES my point entirely...........

[netexas121]

12:42 AM on 10/29/2011

We are living just a very small part of world history. When mankind is gone the earth will still be here. So no matter how much we attempt to manipulate earth, it will respond and we will suffer. Since industrialization and maybe before we have taken earth and life in general for granted, thinking we are the "top dog". We are not the top dog, earth is, it will win and maybe sooner than we like.

[sandman7733]

11:50 PM on 10/28/2011

Enough already with the "end of he world" crap. How does anyone truly know that there were not 10 times as many natural disasters 400, 600 or 10,000 years ago??? There certainly were not 7 billion people on the earth to be affected by them, or to report and/or witness them. There were not countless media outlets, or means of communication to report on them. They didn't have computers, cell phones, televisions or radios to shove the information down our throats 24/7.
The USGS estimates that several MILLION earthquakes occur in the world each year. Many go undetected because they hit remote areas or have very small magnitudes. As more and more seismographs are installed in the world, more earthquakes can be and have been located. However, the number of large earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 and greater) has stayed relatively constant. Again, "the number of large earthquakes (magnitude 6.0 and greater) has stayed relatively constant."
IT'S NOTHING NEW!!!!

[rann948]

10:28 PM on 10/28/2011

Are you paying attention California?

[shooshmyloved]

09:49 PM on 10/28/2011

Am I the only one freaked out by all the geological events that are happening? It seems there's another large earthquake every week, sometimes more than one in a week. Maybe the Mayans were right.

[politics now]

04:09 AM on 10/29/2011

Why would I be freaked out? I guess you haven't found peace within yourself. I'm not afraid to die. By no means do I want to hurry it up. "When" I die, I know that there is something more out there. So why not just live life and enjoy the time you have. And not worry when it's going to end.

[Jon Whittaker]

08:03 AM on 10/29/2011

Your comment drips drips of ego with all of the "I" and "you" talk. Dying's not gonna be fun if you bring try to bring that with you.

[shooshmyloved]

03:49 PM on 10/29/2011

I'm not worried about myself. I fear for the future of my daughters and three granddaughters. Apparently you worry about nobody but yourself.

[fisher2737]

05:02 AM on 10/29/2011

I agree with you that the reported increased frequency of larger earthquakes is troubling to many. I guess it all depends where a person lives. I am in Southern New England, not on or near any "fault lines", and prior to the quake that was located in Virginia a couple months ago. We/i felt it here, it shok the recliner i was seated in, and i thought the "vibrating machine" built into it turned on accidentally. lol It all lasted less that a minute, and the oNLY other quake i ever felt here was approximately 30 years ago, which was much weaker.

[deast1115]

09:04 PM on 10/28/2011

According to Scripture:
The Palenstians will get a state.(The UN hasn't voted yet, but it is coming.) War with all the nations surrounding Israel. Then, they will sign a peace treaty for 7 years. After 3 1/2 years the anti-christ will stop all the sacrifices. The next 3 1/2 years will be great trbulation, such as the world has NEVER seen. The anti-christ will commit the abomination(as told in the book of Daniel) Then,
the Lord will decend from heaven with His saints and the angels. He will destroy the enemy with the breath of his tongue. Then the 1000 year reign with Christ 's rule with total peace will begin.
What a wonderful time to be alive and reign with him on a new earth.
Peace will finally come to Jerusalem, as well as Judea.

[hrrpa47]

09:30 PM on 10/28/2011

This is one interpretation generated from only one text - The King James Version. This interpretation is not literal by any measure either. It is in fact highly speculative. The KJ is itself a very broad reinterpretation of earlier works that in some cases very different than what we read in KJ. The bottom line is that much is yet to be revealed before we really know what any of the ancient texts really mean.

[SheenaVa]

09:34 PM on 10/28/2011

That's the problem with religion, it's like a big game of telephone.

[boomer7391]

09:42 PM on 10/28/2011

or, gosh, it could just be another in any of a zillion earthquakes happening all over the globe every day and, well like this one, you don't feel it

then again that's not quite as exciting as your tribulation delusion and it certainly doesn't sell books