Nature Attacks

NATURE ATTACKS

An earthquake shook the capitol of Peru on June 23, 2001, with a magnitude of 7.9. Rescuers searched for survivors, coming up with the death toll of at least 71 people and more than 1,000 injured. Rescue crews were being held back in searching the rubble for survivors during the night because most of the power was out in the city. The towns most devastated were Arequipa, Moquegua and Tacna. Relief officials made arrangements to get survivors blankets, food, shelter, medicine and clean water, and they were coordinating air and ground transportation to deliver supplies. "The most important thing is to support work on search and rescue to get those people who are injured then immediately to look after the people who are homeless," said Ian Logan of the International Red Cross. The earthquake could be felt as far away as Chile and Bolivia. Officials said some 70 aftershocks had been felt, some up to magnitude 6.2. The tower of an ancient church in the center of Arequipa crumbled in the tremor, causing thousands of people to flee their homes in panic when they felt the rumbling, which lasted for more than one minute. The cathedral was first constructed in 1656, but rebuilt after a previous earthquake in 1868. Also some colonial buildings and homes in the historic district sustained major damage.

Another natural disaster occurred on April 10, 2004 near the historical site of Machu Picchu. Six people have died and hundreds of tourists are trapped in Peru after mudslides cut off rail and road links between the Incan site and the city of Cuzco. Local officials said several other people are missing and are feared dead. Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo was in the area when the landslides happened and was co-coordinating rescue efforts, his office said. The people were killed when an avalanche of rock and mud destroyed their homes in the town of Aguas Calientes,