PERU EARTHQUAKE INJURY NUMBERS RISE

PERU 6.3 -MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE
INJURES 145 AND DAMAGES MANY HOMES

(CNN) - The number of people confirmed injured in an earthquake in Peru rose to 145, civil defense officials in the South American nation said Tuesday. The number of homes damaged or destroyed rose to 277, they said. Civil defense officials have been distributing tents to families whose houses were affected by the quake early Monday morning, they said Tuesday. The magnitude 6.3 quake hit about 15 kilometers (9 miles) southeast of Ica, at a depth of 39.2 kilometers (24.4 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It affected power in the region, but as of Tuesday, it had been restored in the districts of Parcona, Tinguina, Ocucaje and Ica, officials said. While residents remain jittery, there were no known fatalities on Monday, Civil Defense officials said. Most of the injured had gone home by Tuesday morning, although six remain in hospitals, they said.

Among the damaged buildings was the Cathedral of Ica, which had already been damaged in a 2007 earthquake. The jolt caused people to flee their homes in Ica, the port of Pisco, and the towns of Palpa, Nasca and Canete. Dozens of Ica residents spent the night in parks and gardens fearing aftershocks. The quake epicentre depth was 24 miles, according to the USGS. The reading was based on the open-ended Moment Magnitude scale used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released. Peru is in the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” which is the site of 85 per cent of global seismic activity. A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the same region in October, leveling dozens of buildings and leaving some homeless. In 2007, an 8.0-magnitude quake struck southwestern Peru, killing more than 500 people and injuring more than 1,000.

At least 145 people were injured and about 300 homes were damaged after a 6.2-degree earthquake shook Peru early Monday morning. Most people were injured when they fled their homes in panic, or when they were struck by collapsing walls.  Lot of residents spent the night in parks and streets due to fears of possible aftershocks. Despite the occasional upheavals, the Earth is the foundation and support of everything; its mountains are compared to the bones of the Lord’s universal form.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The Earth exhibits qualities that can easily remind us of the Lord’s qualities. ... The Earth is tolerant and continues to support us even though we abuse her by drilling for oil and strip-mining her body, and by spilling the blood of her children upon her in war. In a similar way, Krishna continues to be the friend of all living beings, even those who blaspheme Him and try to cause Him pain. ... The Earth can sometimes change her face from that of a benign solid object to one of sudden anger in the form of quakes and volcanoes. Similarly, Krishna’s face, normally graced with a sweet, gentle smile, can sometimes show loving anger, such as when His incarnation Balarama caused an earthquake in ancient Delhi to bring the rulers there to their senses.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Earth: A Meditation” - March/April 2010
http://urmila.me.uk/
http://www.krishna.com/earth-meditation