Another day, another massive quake and tsunami warning for Chile and parts of Peru.
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck in almost the same location as Tuesday’s 8.2 magnitude quake. The second quake is considered officially an aftershock of the Tuesday quake but it still provides a significant shock on its own.
The quake was so strong in neighboring Peru that residents of Tacna and Arequipa fled homes out of fear they would collapse.
The tsunami alert and precautionary evacuation of low-lying areas meant the residents spent a second night away from their homes.
Even the president of the country was forced to evacuate because of the tsunami warning. President Michelle Bachelet posted on Twitter: “I was evacuated like all citizens. One can see that the people are prepared.”
Authorities say at least six deaths have been confirmed but that because so many older structures have collapsed from the two quakes and it’s possible there are victims trapped inside those buildings.
Peru’s government has ordered a state of emergency after a freak cold spell has caused the deaths of two people and tens of thousands of animals.
In addition to the two deaths, officials say at least 33,000 people have had to receive some kind of assistance because of the weather. Continue reading →
Peruvian officials are showing concern about an outbreak of the H1N1 “swine flu” that has killed at least five people in the impoverished country.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the number of identified cases has jumped from 46 to 73. They also confirmed the third death was a 38-year-old police officer who died within 48 hours of admission to St. Joseph’s hospital. Continue reading →
Southern Peru has been rocked by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake. The quake was the seventh quake in the region in the last week.
The U.S. Geological Survey marked the quakes epicenter at 53 miles northwest of Arequipa, Peru. The quake registered a depth of 52 miles. Continue reading →
The Pacific coast of South America is experiencing massive flooding after torrential rain deluged the region. At least six people are confirmed dead in Peru.
Arequipa in the southern part of the country has thousands left without electricity and clean drinking water due to the massive flooding. Peruvian authorities have declared a state of emergency for Arquipa and the surrounding regions. The country’s national meteorological service told the Andina news agency that the total rainfall in seven hours matched the average rainfall for three months. Continue reading →
