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Moderate earthquakes jolt Chile, Peru

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-29 13:55

SANTIAGO -- A moderate earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit southern Peru Wednesday afternoon, while two tremors jolted Chile a few hours earlier, according to the two countries' seismological services.

The 5.3-magnitude quake took place at 04:28 pm local time (2128 GMT) with its epicenter 16 km south of Ayacucho, the capital of Ayacucho province in Peru, at a depth of 100 km.

Hours earlier, two quakes measuring 5.5 and 5.4 magnitude hit the northern and southern parts of Chile respectively.

No casualties or damage as a result of the earthquakes were reported in either of the two countries.

Peru and Chile sit on the seismically active Pacific Rim and earthquakes are frequent.