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Breaking News

Peru Shaken Up by an Earthquake

Aired June 23, 2001 - 18:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: Now we are going to go back to Peru to give you some more information about the earthquake we are reporting, 7.9. And we have on the phone to give us some details Natalia Tarnawieski who is with Canal N, but who is in Lima right now, at some distance, we are glad to say, from the center of the earthquake. Ms. Tarnawieski, can you tell us what civil emergency authorities are telling you now?

NATALIA TARNAWIESKI, CANAL N CORRESPONDENT: Hi, this is Natalia Tarnawieski from Lima. The Red Cross is working in Arequipa, which is Peru's second city which was the epicenter of the earthquake around 3:35 p.m. local time.

They reported that there are 55 injured and there could be five injured in Tacna, which is another state south of Lima. Also, they have reported two dead in Arequipa. The Red Cross is right now working, and also they reported that there's still small tremors up to now.

Also in Chile, there has been reports of the border line states having problems and there's civil emergency going on. There are a lot of injured. I repeat that in Tacna, around 55, and they are still counting the ones in Arequipa.

FRAZIER: We understand that the firefighters are out responding to emergencies. Do you know what those are?

TARNAWIESKI: Oh, yes, they work -- their prevention units and they are advising the population what to do to remain calm, because this is not the first time that we have earthquakes in the south of Peru. We had one in 1990 in Arequipa, which was pretty strong.

And for example, right now, for you to have a picture of what's going on, the tower of the central church in the Arequipa downtown, which is quite old, has crumbled down because of the earthquake. Also in '96, in Nazca, there was a very, very strong earthquake.

FRAZIER: And we're getting one last report I want to confirm with you, that thousands of people have fled their homes in panic. Is that what you're hearing also?

TARNAWIESKI: Yes. People tend to panic, because in the south, obviously, they know that these earthquakes are very damaging, so they want to get out of the area as soon as possible. That's why the civil authorities are working, so that the people don't panic.

FRAZIER: All right, then just to recap -- and thank you, Ms. Tarnawieski, for that report. We have a powerful earthquake in Peru. One geological center reports it on land, right on the coastline, another, the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, registers that this quake was just off the coast, 84 miles southeast of Arequipa, Peru's second largest city.

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