Recovery efforts were hampered due to power failure...
Piles of rubble found after the earthquake...
A boy sifting through the rubble in front of the destroyed barber shop of his father...
People searching for their precious belongings and family members after the earthquake...
The damages of the earthquake...
Map of main shock and aftershocks...The Peru earthquake estimated at 7.7 to 8.0 on moment magnitude scale, hit Peru’s central coast on Wednesday, August 15, 2007. The time it occurred was 23:40:58, Coordinated Universal Time which is 18:40:58, Singapore’s time. The earthquake lasted for two to three minutes.
The epicenter above point where earthquake originated was located 161 kilometres south-southeast of Lima, Peru’s capital city, at depth 47 kilometres. It was worst hit region, including Chincha, Ica and Pisco. Most people reported dead were from Ica region. The Andes mountain range, which runs north-south along Peru’s Pacific coast, has many active fault lines due to earthquake. This was one of the strongest and longest earthquakes. There were aftershocks ranging from magnitudes, 5.4 to 5.9.
Many people were killed under rubble of houses. Many areas hit blacked out and lost telephone service. Rescue teams had difficulty travelling due to cracks in highways and power lines dangling in air. Hospitals and clinics were flooded with people, some treated in hallways. The city remained without electricity for long time and families slept on streets, their houses were destroyed. There were 519 deaths and 1500 injured. Thousands of animals were affected too.
The earthquake happened at boundary between Nazca and South American tectonic plates, which converge 78mm each year. It occurred due to thrust faulting between the two plates. The South American Plate was moving over the Nazca Plate. This type of earthquake occurs once every 100 years.
The government sent people to help victims but efforts hampered because of damaged roads and highways. Due to limited spaces in hospitals, the government sent flights to bring injured to other hospitals.
Buildings have to be built with strong foundations so it would not collapse easily. We must also have evacuation plans. Geologists observe earthquake patterns so happening of earthquakes can be estimated. Being prepared for disasters will minimize damage.
Bibliography:Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Peru_earthquake ,extracted 27-02-2010
Reuters, http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/08/15/peru.earthquake/ ,extracted 27-02-2010
Laura Puertas and Jon Elsen, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/16/world/americas/16cnd-peru.html?_r=2 ,extracted 27-02-2010
The Associated Press and Reader Editor Brent Jones, http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-08-15-peru-quake_N.htm ,extracted 27-02-2010
