Peru hit by 7.0-magnitude quake

LIMA—An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck off Peru’s southern coast Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said.

The tremor was felt across a broad area of southern Peru, triggering scenes of panic.

The quake hit at 1642 GMT, with its epicenter 72 kilometers (45 miles) south of the town of Lomas in the Pacific ocean at a depth of 30 kilometers (18 miles).