7.5 Earthquake Strikes Peru, West Coast Tsunami Warning Issued

West coast residents should not be in danger of a tsunami, but it may be a good idea to stay off the beach.

Downtown Lima, Peru Photo courtesy: ecuaworld.com

(LIMA, Peru) - An earthquake off the coast of central Peru Wednesday evening with a registered magnitude 7.5 on the Richter Scale, has left buildings collapsed and people there shaken.

A tsunami warning has been issued that affects Peru, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia.

A tsunami watch has been issued for for Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras. A tsunami advisory has been issued for Hawaii.

CNN says there are no immediate damage reports and there is no count on injuries people may have suffered in the quake.

Complicating matters are power outages in Lima, Peru's capital, according to Reuters. They also said that people were seen running into the streets in panic as the tremor shook office buildings.

Residents in Peru say local reports are advising them to be braced for possible aftershocks.