The earthquake occurred at 10:42 p.m., 25 miles west of Tacna. Blackouts are being reported, likely due to downed electricity poles, and at least 10 injuries have also been reported so far. Whether there were any casualties remains unknown, but only moderate damage has been seen so far.
We have also heard that some people living near the Peruvian coast have evacuated their homes due to fear of a tsunami. Folks are using Twitter to share first aid information, including diagrams for treating fractures, and expressing feelings of concern for affected Peruvians.
We will update as more information becomes available.
We're seeing an marked spike in the use of social media to spread news, find help and express condolences during and after natural disasters. Following the earthquake in Haiti several months ago, pictures swept across Twitter. The same happened following a Mexicali earthquake last month and recent flooding in the American South.
