Two quakes of 7.5 magnitude rock Peru

Lima, Nov 25: Two earthquakes measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Iberia town in Peru, according to the Peruvian Geophysical Institute. The epicentre of the earthquakes was around 600 km underground the remote nature of the Amazon area, Xinhua reported. Local authorities said there were no initial reports of casualties, but Peru's National Institute of Civil Defence said it was monitoring the affected region. It was also reported that teams of firemen were dispatched to remote communities near the epicentre to assess damages. The tremors were also felt in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina, according to media reports. The US Geological Service also reported an aftershock in the same region within an hour, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale and with an epicentre as deep as 584 km. Reports from Brazil said the aftershock was felt in the cities of Manaus, Acre and Porto Velho. Local police in Cusco, a popular tourist city in Peru, confirmed that no damage was reported in the urban area, and evacuations had been conducted in airports near the quake-hit area.