Major quake rocks northern Peru, one dead

LIMA, Peru - A major 7.5 magnitude earthquake rocked Peru's northern jungle on Sunday and police said at least one person had died.

The US Geological Survey's website said the quake hit at 8:55pm (1.55pm NZT Monday) and the epicentre was 75km northeast of the town of Moyobamba.

"We have one dead and three injured. The victim is a man whose house fell on top of him," Ramiro Pozzi, a police spokesman in the town of Lamas, some 25km from Tarapoto, the biggest town in the area, told Reuters.

"The ground shook a lot. There are five houses that have completely collapsed and some have partially fallen down. There is no light. People are in the streets, afraid," he added.

The quake was felt strongly in Lima, some 715km south.

One caller from Lamas to RPP radio, who gave his name only as Carlos, said four people had died and some 20 houses had collapsed. CPN radio quoted the mayor of Lamas as saying four people had died. The reports could not immediately be confirmed.

Lamas is a small jungle town built into a hillside with narrow streets, and is a coffee and tobacco growing region.

In Moyobamba, which is home to around 10 per cent of the world's orchid varieties, a police spokesman said the walls of some buildings had fallen down, including parts of the prison, but the inmates were accounted for.

"It lasted 2 to 3 minutes, it was very strong," said the officer, who declined to be identified. He said the quake had caused blackouts.

Radio reports said residents in Moyobamba were sleeping in the streets, afraid of more quakes.

A spokesman for the San Martin regional police said he had no immediate reports of dead or injured in the towns of Moyobamba, Rioja or Tarapoto.

Quakes of such magnitude are capable of causing serious damage in urban areas.

A huge 8.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Peru in 2001, killing 78 people, including 26 by a tsunami, and causing some $300 million in damages.

Peru's deadliest quake, in 1970, registered a magnitude of 7.9 and killed 70,000.

- REUTERS