Large earthquake hits Peru
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook the central coast of Peru, the US Geological Survey reported.
The earthquake struck about 90 miles southeast of the capital of Lima, according to the website of the USGS.
An Associated Press photographer reported the quake caused panic and chaos in the streets and at least some houses had collapsed in the centre of the city.
Authorities issued a tsunami warning for South America's Pacific coast.
Local firefighters said that street lights collapsed and windows shattered in Lima but did not specify if there were any injuries.
Workers were evacuated from Lima office buildings after the quake struck and remained outside in open areas, fearing aftershocks
Callers to Radio Programas, Peru's main news station, said parts of several cities in southern Peru had been hit with blackouts.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued "an expanding regional tsunami warning and watch for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake", as well as a tsunami advisory for the US state of Hawaii.
The centre said it did not know if a tsunami had been generated.
