Peru Sends Soldiers to Quell Quake Looting

Desperate survivors of an earthquake in Peru fought over scant supplies of food and water yesterday as rescue teams continued to pull bodies from the rubble three days after the magnitude-eight quake killed at least 510 people.

Aftershocks continued to shudder through the coastal area south of the capital, Lima, where people looted emergency supply vehicles and stores for food and clothing.

'Supply trucks go by and the anguish of watching them pass without giving us anything forces us to stop them and take what we need," said Reyna Macedo, 60, a mother of seven who lost her home. Aid has been slow to reach the stricken areas and people accuse shopkeepers of putting up prices.

Police and troops patrolled the worst affected towns of Pisco, Ica and Chincha, and President Alan Garcia warned that looters would be punished and a curfew is being considered. The delivery of aid 'must be gradual', Garcia said, after ordering in 200 more soldiers to maintain order. More than 33,000 families lost their homes and about 1,000 people were injured. Many people died when mud-brick homes caved in. High church ceilings fell on to congregations in towns all around the port city of Pisco.

Priest Luis Miroquesada saved himself by ducking under a table when the earthquake devastated his church during a service. About 100 members of his congregation died.