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![Bodies lay on the streets in the devastated town of Pisco [AFP]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Sci-Tech2/5/Peru-quake-1.jpg "Bodies lay on the streets in the devastated town of Pisco [AFP]") | | Bodies lay on the streets in the devastated town of Pisco [AFP] |
At least 450 people have been killed and 1,500 injured after a strong earthquake and nine aftershocks struck off the central coast of Peru.
A frantic search for survivors was underway on Thursday as the Peruvian government declared a state of emergency.
The government said it was launching an airlift to bring emergency aid to hard-hit coastal towns left isolated by the quake.
Foreign governments and aid groups also launched relief efforts, with the US, Spain, France and Bolivia promising assistance.
Hospitals were destroyed and many of the wounded were being brought to Lima.
Motorways destroyed
The earthquake occurred at 1840 (2341 GMT) on Wednesday and was felt for a number minutes. ![Survivors were being carried from the rubble [EPA]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Sci-Tech2/5/Peru-quake-2.jpg "Survivors were being carried from the rubble [EPA]") | | Survivors were being carried from the rubble [EPA] |
The US Geological Survey upgraded the quake's magnitude to 8.0 from an earlier 7.9 measurement, and powerful aftershocks rattled the country on Thursday morning.
Buildings collapsed, major motorways, to the coast were destroyed and power lines knocked out by the massive quake.
Hundreds of prisoners escaped from Tambo de Mora prison, in the city of Chincha, about 125 miles (200 km) south of the capital, an old building that collapsed during the earthquake.
Tens of thousands of panicked residents of the capital, Lima, spent the night on the streets fearing more tremors.
Government aid
As rescuers scrambled through the debris, dazed residents guarded bodies in the street, not sure where to take them.
Jose Flores, a boy of about 12 years old, stood near the body of his dead mother on the sidewalk outside their destroyed home in Chincha.
"We don't know what to do. I don't know where to hold a wake for her ... The wall just came down and crushed her when I was outside."  The health ministry made an emergency appeal for blood donations.
Carlos Vallejos, the health minister, travelled overnight to the town of Ica to survey the damage.
The government also sent a convoy of lorries to the region carrying medical supplies, doctors and nurses but damaged roads were hampering relief efforts.
The UN said it was ready to help and International Federation of the Red Cross said two aeroplanes carrying tents, plastic covers, blankets and water canisters would leave Panama City for Lima on Thursday.
It was the biggest earthquake to hit the South American nation in decades.
The USGS said the quake was centred about 145km (90 miles) southeast of Lima at a depth of around 40km (25 miles) and was closely followed by nine aftershocks.
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