Tsunami Alert?

Last night there was an earthquake just off the coast of Ica that from reports I’ve heard, was an 8.0 on the Richter scale, among the 370 aftershocks was one registering 6.0 and 4.7. According to the statistics I have (which are from today but by the time this gets published will be old…) there are over 500 reported fatalities, 6,669 houses destroyed, as well as 9 highways, 8 hospitals, 4 churches, and 2 high schools. Most of the damage is centered around the cities of Ica, Pisco, and Chincha in the department of Ica.
As of right now, all volunteers are being told to stay away from the area because of the high number of vandalisms, assaults, and robberies that are happening in this area but on the 20th a final word will be sent out as to whether Peace Corps will aid in the relief efforts.
Last night I, and most all of the health volunteers, didn’t feel a thing as we had all traveled to the north of the country for this training. Other volunteers in Ancash, Lima, and Ica at the time had quite different experiences of the ground shaking for two to three minutes.
That night there was also a Tsunami Alert sent out, and all transportation to the beaches of Peru was stopped, seeing as the epicenter of the earthquake was actually offshore. Unfortunately, no one told anyone in Culan, a small beach to the north of Piura City, and that is where I spent the night. (Ooops…) Well, there was no tsunami and Piura is very far away from Ica (no really, look at your maps…) so no harm was done but it was a little freaky when we returned a call made by Peace Corps in the morning to find out they were calling us to tell us not to go to the beach for fear of tsunami. That doesn’t happen to often…
Anyway, story is: I’m safe and more news later on whether I will get to be part of the relief effort or not…