Earthquake strikes Peru
Thursday, 16 Aug 2007 14:44
An earthquake struck the South American country of Peru yesterday evening killing at least 155 people.
The tremor affected the province of Ica the most, which is located south of the capital Lima, on the coast.
In a statement, the Peru tourist board said: "At 23:40 (GMT) an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit the province of Ica, approximately 165 miles south of the capital city of Peru, Lima. The earthquake shook inland towns, as well as cities near the coast and the mountains.
"To date 155 confirmed deaths have been reported. There are no reports of missing tourists at present. The international airport in Lima, Jorge Chavez, remains open."
The Foreign Office has also reported no British casualties from the quake.
"Around 61,000 British tourists visit Peru every year. Most visits are trouble-free. The main types of incident for which British nationals require consular assistance in Peru is theft of money, passports or personal effects and involvement in bus accidents," the Foreign Office explained.
For more information on travel advice on visiting Peru see
www.fco.gov.uk